


Wait So Long

by Gelflings_in_a_Tardis



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, BAMF Bilbo Baggins, Bilbo is a girl, Birth, Dwalin Feels, F/M, Female Bilbo, Fluff and Angst, Fíli and Kíli Are Little Shits, Gandalf Likes to Keep Secrets, Gandalf Ships It, King Thorin, Ori Is A Sweetheart, Stubborn Dwarves, There will be Dwobbits, Thorin Has No Sense Of Direction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2020-12-09 00:57:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20986178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gelflings_in_a_Tardis/pseuds/Gelflings_in_a_Tardis
Summary: The Battle has been won and what Violet Baggins had thought would  be a lovely reunion ended up being a nightmare that ended with her being banished from Erebor! The Burglar for the Company of Thorin Oakenshield fled the Lonely Mountain with her heart in pieces and a bit more treasure than anyone thought possible.





	1. There and Back again

**Author's Note:**

> I love the suggestion of Bilbo still being sent away for the Arkenstone ordeal only for the Company to realize what idiots they were and getting a HUGE surprise when they got to the Shire.  
I ship Dwalin and Bilbo so hard that I couldn't ignore this idea.  
Now that I finally have time to write with my newest addition sleeping through the night I couldn't silence these little bunnies anymore.  
I love the idea of the character of Tauriel but I do not ship her with Kili. That just doesn't fit for me :3

Violet Baggins was exhausted. 

The Battle of the Five Armies as everyone is now calling it was exhausting, terrifying and one of the hardest things that she had ever done aside from the journey to get here. She was bruised, dirty, nauseous, starving, and a almost literal ball of tension as she hovered outside the healers tent. The throbbing cut on her forehead stung with nervous sweat, and the cut on her calf was being to burn but she ignored them as she paced waiting for word on the Royals or... Dwalin. Everything had been such a blur near the end; she recalled seeing Fili hobbling from the tower on Ravenhill and she had taken part in the fight that had finally slain the White Orc Azog.   
All the dwarves that had passed through the tent flaps had refused to look at her or if they did it was not with kindness in their eyes.   
A tall dwarf with tidy braids of black hair stepped out to scowl at her "What are you doing out here, halfling?"   
"I.. I was just hoping to find out how Thorin and the Princes were." she stammered before adding "and Dwalin?"   
Something cold glinted in his dark eyes that made her want to slide her ring on but she resisted "They do not want to see _you." _

_"They do not want to see you."_  
  
  
Those seemed to be the only words anyone had to say to her for weeks. Every time she had tried to enter the healers tent she had been turned away with glares and harsh words; same when she ventured in where the rest of the Company was camped. None would look at her not even Bofur! Dori made sure she stayed far away from Ori and Violet found herself feeling just as isolated amongst the dwarves as she had in Hobbiton.   
None had bothered to tell her when they had moved back into Erebor and she had to wear her little ring to even get into the wing where the Company of Thorin Oakenshield resided now. 

It was very possible she was going to bear the impression of the stone floor on her rear for the rest of her life for how long she sat on the floor between the door to both Thorin's room and the Sons of Fundin. It had been weeks since she had seen Thorin, Kili, Fili or Dwalin. She had gotten so used to everyone ignoring her that she didn't even bother with her little ring anymore. Bombur ignored her to a point but he always set food near the door just for her and would give her a wink before turning back to whatever task he had now that he was in charge of the Royal Kitchens.   
Living in silence after the screams of war was unnerving at first then it had switched to downright annoying but now? Now she had moved on to a place of pure anger, anger that was about to be unleashed on the next person that actually spoke to her even if it was in their damn secret language of Khuzdul.   
So lost in thought about what she would say when someone finally acknowledged her, Violet didn't notice the sound of footsteps approaching her piece of the floor until the sound of a throat being cleared broke her reverie. Glance to her left showed three pairs of boot shod feet and when she tipped her head back she found Balin, Dori and an unknown dwarf looking down on her. Adrenalin surged through her veins as she rose to her feet uselessly dusting at her faded red jacket and trousers.   
"Violet Baggins?" Balin seemed to be looking over her shoulder now instead of right at her while Dori was just plain staring at the ceiling.   
"Y-yes?" she stuffed her hands in her pockets to keep from fidgeting "What is it Balin? Has something happened to Dwalin?"   
At the mention of his younger brother the snow haired scribe finally met her eyes and what she saw there made her stomach turn. What were usually kind almost fatherly eyes now looked at her with pity, sadness, dismissal almost like she was something small and insignificant like a dormouse.   
Dori nudged Balin in the back and he shook his head before stating "it is by the decree of Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain that Violet Baggins, Burglar for said Company has been convicted of the crimes of stealing the Arkenstone, Treason for giving to his enemies, and Heresy. The punishment is imprisonment followed by execution."   
Violet's stomach sank to her feet and what little she had eaten was threatening to come back up on Balin's clean red robes.   
"... However His Majesty acknowledges all that Miss Baggins did on the journey here and has declared that she shall instead forever be banished from Erebor under the Threat of Death should she try to return."   
The roaring in her ears subsided as it sank in the Thorin was kicking her out. All this time of no one speaking to her and now the coward was tossing her out like yesterday's rubbish.   
"Banished? Are you kidding me right now, Balin?" her voice sounded reedy to her own ears and she hated it.   
Balin nodded.   
The scream of rage that erupted from the tiny hobbit had both he and Dori taking a step back with eyes wide. None noticed the doors opening on either side of the group, Fili and Kili peeking out one door and Dwalin standing in the shadow of the other.   
"I would have left weeks ago if that's what you wanted! I just wanted to know if they had survived... I NEEDED to know that Dwalin survived." she screamed at them not caring that she looked like a lunatic with her hair in a riot of curls, cheeks flushed and her eyes wild.   
"We were ordered not to speak to you" Dori sniffed from behind Balin.   
"Shut up I'm not talking to you!" she pointed a finger at the silver haired dwarf "All I fucking wanted was to know if they would be alright. Clearly Thorin is fine and has reached a new level of being a bastard."   
Tears began to burn her eyes and she didn't care "I came all this way with you and I thought we were friends... nay.. family almost and then just because I tried to save all of your hairy asses this is the thanks I get."   
Balin's stony exterior seemed to crack a little as she raged "I've done things no Hobbit would do for you lot and now that you have your mountain I'm no longer wanted."   
Tears were streaming down her face but she refused to crumble as her heart broke and instead looked Balin right in the eye "Tell your brother I thought he was different. I thought I mattered to him."   
The shock on the dwarves faces she could see should have pleased her but she was too busy bleeding from a broken heart; if she had been able to hear anything over the sound of her own pain she would have heard the soft sob from the doorway behind her as Dwalin pressed his hand over his mouth with tears flowing. 

  
Bard had seen more things in this life that he had thought possible right down to watch Smaug crash into Long Lake with his arrow in it's chest but nothing could have prepared him for finding a crying Hobbit on his door step so to speak. The Men of Laketown were still residing in tents behind the walls of the ruins of Dale but they were safe and come spring would begin rebuilding.   
When Sigrid had said there was someone outside the tent he had been expecting to find Tauriel; the elf had been helping where she could around the encampment since her king had exiled her for helping the dwarves.   
Instead there had stood the smallest member of Thorin's Company and honestly Bard's favorite member; Violet had two smalls bags by her feet and looked almost of pitiful as when Bard had first met her after the trip down the river.   
"Mistress Baggins, what are you doing here?"   
That had been the wrong question to ask the small female as she promptly burst into tears with sobs that shook her body.   
With a gentle hand he guided the weeping hobbit into the warm interior of the tent while calling for his eldest daughter. Sigrid swooped in just like he had hoped and took Violet to the far side of the tent for some tea, Bain brought in the small bags that had looked so much bigger next to her.   
"Go find Gandalf" he whispered to his son "Violet being here can't mean anything good."   
Bain's brown eyes widened as he registered who his sister was consoling "Da, isn't she with the bald dwarf with all the tattoos? Is she hurt?"   
Bard shook his head "I don't know for sure but all the dwarves have gone back to the Mountain. Her being here instead of in there means something."   
Tilda slipped into their huddle and shook her gold head "Poor Miss Baggins is so sad. Did her dwarf die?" 

Bain was gone so long that by the time he slipped back into their tent with a taller being close behind him Violet had cried herself out falling asleep at the table before Sigrid woke her just enough to get her onto a cot. His eldest had given him a condensed version of whatever Violet had told her and it made his blood boil that Thorin would treat her in such a manner.   
  
"Why is Miss Baggins here?" Tauriel's voice by his ear almost had him out of his seat before her hand on his shoulder stopped him.   
"Eru's breath, learn to make some noise!" he hissed as she came to stand across from him.  
Her teeth glinted as she smiled at him before turning her attention back to the sleeping form of Violet; there was no sound as Tauriel glided to kneel beside the small being, lightly placing her hand on Violet's brow. With a soft sound of disgust Tauriel was back beside him in a blink "We need to get her out of here quickly."   
"What? Why? Is she sick?" he struggled to keep his voice low as to not wake the children.   
Tauriel's breath was hot on his ear lobe "she is with child. Staying the winter here would not be healthy or safe for her."   
"Do you know when Gandalf will be back?"   
Red hair shifted in the candlelight as she nodded "I sent word to him before I came here... I think I should accompany her back to the Shire."   
"Between you and Gandalf she'll be safe" he murmured as he leaned in to seal his lips to hers. 

  
Violet had never planned on having children.  
Never really entertained the thought of them actually.  
You needed a husband for those and when no courtship ever made it past afternoon walks she soon dismissed all that had to do with a family of her own. Which included ignoring much of what her Aunts and Mother said when it came to being pregnant or giving birth. She had enjoyed playing with her numerous cousins but that was as far as it had gone.   
She was currently cursing her inattention as she rubbed her aching back while walking beside the wagon Gandalf had procured for her to ride in back to the Shire. The wizard and elf had worked quickly to leave Dale before the snows really set in and she was forever thankful for that as she thought about wintering in a tent.   
Gandalf claimed they were nearing Rivendell but she wasn't too sure of that with the way he kept looking around from his seat on the wagon.   
Violet had figured out she was pregnant right before the Battle but everyone had been so far gone with Gold sickness she hadn't even tried to say anything. She had figured there was time, time to come to grips with the idea of a child herself, time to surprise the father with the news and then have a get together to tell the rest of the Company.  
But she had been wrong and there wasn't any time left to tell anyone.   
The urge to scream it at Balin had been strong but fear that they wouldn't let her leave if they knew reared up and she kept her mouth shut.   
  
"Are you alright?" Tauriel materialized from the bushes beside her.   
"I will be if you would stop doing that!" she scolded with a smile "I swear you're going to scare this baby out of me!"   
Tauriel chuckled "Pay back for all the times you snuck around behind my back in Mirkwood."   
Violet cocked her head to side with a tiny laugh "Fair enough."   
Tauriel had been a welcome addition to what Violet had thought was going to be a solo trip back with Gandalf. The elleth was quiet but kind, she actually had a decent sense of humor once you got her to relax a little.   
"Mithrandr, are you sure we're getting near Rivendell or did you get us lost?"   
"I am not Thorin, thank you very much Tauriel!" Gandalf huffed "We will reach The Last Homely House by sundown."   
A new pain gripped Violet that made the Hobbit stop with a gasp "I don't know if that will do!"  
Gandalf was beside her in a flash "Fool of a Took why didn't you tell me you were having pain!"   
She shuddered as she rode out the pain "I have been in pain for the last few weeks! How was I supposed to know this time was different, you old goat! Yavanna's toes this is so much worse than I remember Mum saying."   
"You! Why didn't you know she was in labor?" Gandalf griped at Tauriel as they tried to put Violet back in the wagon.   
The elf turned red all the way to the tips of her ears "Me! I'll have you know the last baby born in Mirkwood was Prince Legolas and he's older than me! How could I have known?"   
A moan from between them stopped the arguing "Ooh Gandalf I don't think I'm going to make it to Rivendell."   
The taller beings shared a panicked look over her head before he shouted "quickly this way! We'll unhook one of the horses and you can ride ahead with her."   
"Are you insane" Tauriel demanded "they don't know me! You take her! I'll follow with the wagon."   
Gandalf stiffened as though he was going to pursue this argument right into the ground and Tauriel stomped her booted foot "Mithrandr there is no time! Unless you want to try your hand at midwifery in a forest you need to take her."   
  
Violet cursed everyone she could think of as she clung to Gandalf on the back of the ridiculously high horse. The pain rode her like they did the horse and she was sure she had left at least a few bruises on the wizard as she gripped him in pain.   
"Almost there, almost there, almost there" had become his chant for at least the last handful of minutes and she tried to believe him as they grew to new heights that had her howling until something gave way inside her leaving her thighs wet.   
"Oh Gandalf I don't know what just happened but I'm wet" she cried in embarrassment.   
"Hang on, my dear" he soothed and she realized they were crossing the same bridge into Rivendell that she had crossed so many months ago.   
The pain came again but it was sharper this time, pressing, pulling and she found herself crying out "Ow ow OW! Gandalf its coming! OH sweet Yavanna get me down!"   
Shouts in elvish filled the court yard and Violet felt herself being lifted from the back of the horse by strong hands as she tried to handle the pain that blossoming in her hips.   
Things moved by in a blur and as she came back to herself she was in a room being stripped of her skirt and small clothes beside a low bed. Indignity for being stripped by strangers made her want to tell them off but another pain bloomed between her hips and she found herself waving a hand in the air while crying out for Gandalf.   
"I'm here my girl. Won't be long now... right, Elrond?" Gandalf's warm hand enveloped hers and she doubled over beside the bed almost missing the long fingered hands that appeared between her legs.   
"Not long at all. This little one is in a hurry" came the elf lord's soft tones from behind her "bear down with the pain, Violet."   
A shriek of pain could be heard out in the court yard followed quickly by the sound of a new life taking its first breaths.   
  
Violet laid back against the white pillows with her daughter in her arms and stared at the infant in awe as Elrond worked between her legs. The baby was perfect with wispy black hair, pointed little ears and the cutest rosebud mouth she had ever seen. A new pain, a familiar pain grew in her hips and she couldn't stifle the cry of pain it wrung from her.   
"Oh Gandalf take her! What's happening! I thought this was done" she whimpered at the elf lord as he ran a hand over her belly.   
A small smile curved Lord Elrond's lips "it would seem that the sibling is ready to join us."  
"Sibling? Oh Yavanna why didn't you tell me there were twins" she snarled as the urge to bear down took hold.  
It didn't take long before the burn set in between her legs and she couldn't stem the flow of curses that slipped out "I swear I am going to puck every single strand of his beard out when I see him! I am going to rip the hair from his scalp for this! Of course it would be ruddy twins and he's not here to help me."   
"Good, good job, Violet." Elrond coaxed from his spot at the bottom of the bed.   
Searing pain had her arching her back as she shouted "I am going to throw his axes in the river and use his hammer on his testicles so this never happens again! OOOW!"  
"And you have another daughter." 

Across Arda in the Lonely Mountain a dwarf wipes a hand across his sweaty brow and breaths a sigh of relief as his stomach pain vanishes. 


	2. Turning up in time for tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Curiosity is a hell of a prompt for bored dwarfs that are too used to traveling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All errors are my own as I am working without a beta and only Word to pick up any mistakes.

Time stands still for no one.

Not even for the broken hearted. 

Violet stayed in Rivendell until the desire to see rolling green hills were so strong she couldn't ignore it any longer. She had stayed in Rivendell with the twins for much longer than she had intended; the decision to leave came about as they neared their third birthday. Gandalf had gone ahead shortly after Bellflower and Brenna had arrived to make sure her home was still there and then to handle some wizarding matters.  
They had not seen him since.

  
Erebor flourished.   
It was well guarded with more trained guards than she had ever boasted before although there were still bands of orcs that appeared from time to time from the ruins of Dol Guldor. They were quickly dispatched with no survivors. Repairs were happening at record time thanks to a King that was apparently hell bent on having it returned to it's former glory before they had even been there 10 years.   
Time was both a boon and burden for a people that had become so used to living on the road or in towns under the sky instead of safe inside a Mountain.  
Kili had been caught more than once slipping out the Back Door to do who knows what, Fili spent more at the Front Gate than some thought proper and folks were beginning to speculate that he was watching for someone. Bofur used his Stone-sense to inspect things on occasion but preferred to spend most of his time with his cousin and brother; after the dismissal of Violet that they all heard about the smiling Toy maker kept his distance from both the Captain of the Guard and King. They still met for meals every day but Gloin was willing to bet that Bofur hadn't said more than 10 words to either dwarf in the past 3 years. The brothers Ri were the same as before with Ori working hard as ever as Balin's apprentice, Dori had taken over as head Steward for Royals and Nori... well Nori still slipped away from time to time usually returning needing some sort of medical help. Thorin in one of his few strokes of brilliance had appointed the star haired thief Spy Master much to Dwalin's irritation.   
Gloin had returned to being a banker and rather than retire Oin was head Healer for the hospital wing.   
Only at the midnight hour when they were deep in their cups did any of them mention the missing member of their group and if tears were shed there in the fire light none said a word about it.   
  
  
Princess Dis, Daughter of Thrain, was due to return to Erebor with the last Caravan leaving Ered Luin of Ereborean Dwarves. Raven wing eyebrows rose as she studied the map taking note that she would be passing close by the Shire more importantly Hobbiton was only half a day off course. Curiosity won out as she decided to stop and visit the little being that had her brother and cousin so tied in knots while her sons adored her. 

  
A knock at the round green door was answered with childish squeals and a distinctly feminine voice yelling "Stop chasing your sister with that frog! Go release the poor thing before you give it a heart attack!"   
Dis waited a moment before rapping her knuckles against the painted surface again incase the first had been lost in all shouting.   
_Perhaps the Burglar has married in the years since leaving? _  
  
"I'm coming! I'm coming! Lobelia, if this is another attempt to set me up with your cousin I swear I'm going to toss all my spoons in the Brandywine!"   
A small chuckle escaped her lips as the door swung open to reveal a most intriguing little female.   
Violet Baggins was not at all what she had been expecting; the Inn she had left the others at was run by hobbits, the females of the place stoutly made, with kind faces and curls peeking out from their mob caps. As she rode towards Bag Shot Row she had seen a few more females out in their gardens surrounded by children all built similarly to the Inn keeper's wife.   
Violet however was not like that. For one she was a bit taller than the others and where they were overall plump like a holiday ham, Violet had curves much deeper than even the plumpest dwarrowdam. There wasn't as much pudge to this Hobbit as the others though she had bountiful breasts peeking at the V of her blouse. She had sun kissed skin with a dusting of freckles across her nose, eyes the color of leaves stared at her as Dis studied her and to top it all off was a beautiful crown of braided curly auburn hair.   
"You're a dwarf!" Violet blurted as her lovely eyes grew wide.   
A true smile curled Dis' lips "last I checked."   
Violet moved to block the entrance to her home as her eyes narrowed "You look familiar..."   
With a flourished bow Dis introduced herself "Forgive me I am Dis, Daughter of Thrain, Son Thror-"  
"Princess Under the Mountain" a soft voice finished for her.   
What happened next was not something the Princess had expected considering everything her brother and sons had told her about Miss Baggins. The tip of a very sharp blade was a breath away from the end of her nose before she could blink and Violet's lovely eyes were as hard as emeralds.   
"What are you doing here? Was it not enough that I was banished! Now he sends his sister to rub salt in my wounds." the blade never wavered even though the hobbit's voice did.   
Confusion must have shown plainly on her face because only then did the blade dip just a hair "Mistress Baggins I have no idea what you are talking about. I came on my own volition."   
A new light entered Violet's eyes "Do you swear?"   
"On my sons lives."   
With that the Burglar lowered her blade and stepped to the side "Then Dis, Princess Under the Mountain, I think it's best we had a chat."   


Violet watched as Thorin's sister set her teacup down carefully before rising to pace her kitchen. It had become obvious after telling her about the Troll Shaws that Thorin's life might be in danger, adding the run to Rivendell hadn't helped nor the Goblin Town incident, when she hit the meeting with Azog Dis had started muttering under her breath in Khuzdul while angrily eating some short bread biscuits. The lady had calmed some as Violet told her of Beorn's and how the skin changer had helped them. By the time she reached the end and how she was tossed out Violet was beginning to worry that she had just made Fili King.   
"How could my rock headed brother be so..so cowardly! To treat the one being that helped regain our home like that I-I..." Dis finished with a growl before shoving another biscuit in her mouth.   
"I haven't the foggiest, your highness but I promise that is exactly how I was banished." she took a sip of tea and her ears twitched to the soft sound of the backdoor opening.   
Dis turned at that moment and Violet studied the dwarrowdam. The similarities between siblings was remarkable with only slight differences setting them apart. Where Thorin had silver in his raven mane, Dis did not. Thorin's beard though short when she had last seen him had been a thick covering like a thicket, the princess only had hair along her jawline that was decorated with tiny stones. Dis had all the curves of a female and a softer look to her than old Broody britches.   
"What-"  
Her question was cut short a child's voice called "Mama" behind them.   
Violet locked eyes with the dwarf as she answered "In here my loves. We have a guest."   
  
"I did not realize you had married, Mistress Baggins."   
"I have not."  
  
Dis stared at the matching pair of fauntlings that peered around Violet's seated form; they were so close to identical Dis felt as though she was seeing double. They each had inky curls that hung past their shoulders, sun kissed skin like their Ma, barefoot that same with a dusting of dark hair on the tops and they were wearing similar shades of blue dresses. There was something very familiar about the twins as they returned her gaze from slightly behind their mother. One twin had eyes almost the same shade as Violet's but the other twin, Oh Dis knew that eye color anywhere, a light grey so close to the metal that she loved to work with.   
Silence stretched between them before Violet cleared her throat "Girls, this is Dis, daughter of Thrain, son of Thror, Princess Under the Mountain."   
They smiled before stepping away from their mother and bowed.   
Left twin "Bellflower Baggins!"  
Right twin "Brenna Baggins!"   
"At your service!" in unison with giggles.   
The name of the second daughter sealed it, Dis knew who the Adad was without a doubt and the anger she felt towards her family tripled. Heads were going to roll once she reached Erebor but for now she swallowed her irritation with her relatives and smile sweetly at the two little girls.   
  
Time slipped by quickly and Dis found herself invited to both Dinner and Supper with the Baggins family. She had read about the first meal her sons had shared with the Hobbit but she still was not prepared for the amount of food Violet whipped up for each meal nor how much of it the little beings could pack away. The little darlings were quite enamored with the fact that Dis was a princess and had all sorts of questions for her. There were 'ohs' and 'ahs' over the jewelry she wore even the small jeweled pin in her nose and the hoops that adorned her ears.  
The sun slipped below the horizon of lush green hills and Dis found her self with a lap full of sleepy little girls, each with her head resting on Dis' chest while yawning and listening to Dis talk about Erebor.   
"Girls I think it's time to tell her highness 'good night' and head to bed." Violet's soft voice cut through the twilight.   
Whines so similar to Kili's pulled at her heartstrings and Dis found herself wrapping her arms around the warm little bodies "They can stay here a little longer."   
A soft smile lit Violet's face and she could tell immediately why the company had all come to adore her, and why her family fell for her.   
"Fine but then you'll have to help me carry them to bed. They are almost too big for me to carry them together."   
"Mum can you sing the lullaby?" Bell-Brenna yawned. Dis was still working on telling them apart.   
"Which lullaby is that?" she chuckled.   
"The one that started your adventure" chirped Bellflower with a sleepy grin.   
Violet stilled in her seat, shooting a look that Dis didn't understand before she nodded. You could have knocked Dis over with a feather when a lovely soprano voice began to sing The Misty Mountain. The lovely hobbit hadn't even made it to the second verse when soft snores were coming from the occupants of her lap. Violet lifted one sleeping child from her lap and then motioned for her to follow down the hall; the girls didn't even stir as they were stripped of their dresses and slipped into pajamas.   
  
"Was it a hard birth and pregnancy?"   
Violet looked up at the princess; lit by candlelight Dis resembled her brother even more but now her face was more open and she also could see Kili. The dwarrowdam had been quiet since helping tuck in the twins and Violet could see the questions brewing in her lovely blue eyes. She gave her time as she bustled about picking up toys, fixing another pot of tea and arranging some little nibbles on a plate. It was obvious Dis had things she wanted to say but thank Yavanna had waited until the tiny eavesdroppers were in bed. It had been hard enough telling her about 'the Arkenstone incident' and being banished by her brother and cousin.   
"Not really. I was very fortunate actually. I didn't even know there were two of them until Bellflower had already been born! That was quite the shock let me tell you" she laughed at the look on the Princess' face "I almost kicked Lord Elrond in the face when he told me."   
"Lord Elrond? They were born in Rivendell?"  
Violet nodded as she took a sip of tea "I was on my way back here and we thought I would make it. The girls had other plans."   
"Who is 'we'?" Dis asked leaning forward. The resemblance to her youngest son made Violet's heart clench.   
"Gandalf and the elleth Tauriel. They helped me leave Dale and traveled the whole way with me. Tauriel used her limited experience with pregnant females to keep an eye on us."   
"Ah yes," Dis sniffed thoughtfully "Kili had mentioned her in his letters. Where is she now?"   
Violet waved a hand "Around, she likes to make rounds occasionally with the Rangers and Bounders that keep our borders safe. I'm sure she'll be back in a day or so if you'd like to meet her."   
"I think I would very much like to meet the elf that has been helping protect my cousins."   
Tea sprayed across the table top "Cousins? What do you mean?"   
Dis laughed as she helped mop up the mess "Oh like I wouldn't figure out that Dwalin is the father of your girls."  
Violet froze and Dis continued while patting her hand "Oh do not worry. I won't say a thing to those boulder brains. I had thought my brother was the father at first but then when you told me Brenna's name that sealed it. Dwalin's Amad's name is not a popular one and one I have never heard anywhere else."   
  
  
The trip back to Erebor according to others happened in record time but for Dis, daughter of Thrain it had felt like an eternity. By the time she had left Hobbiton those little faunts had begun to call her "Auntie Dis", the longer she had stayed madder she had gotten at her brother and cousin. Violet Baggins had been a breath of fresh air for her and the thought of them treating her so horribly made her want to take a hammer to their thick skulls. She knew in her heart that Violet had glossed over some details about what happened in Erebor and when she had hugged the smaller woman she had seen the small scars on her neck to cement it.   
Kili and Fili were waiting for her at the Gate and she let the tears come as she hugged her sons for the first time in what felt like forever. They insisted Thorin and Dwalin were busy in a meeting so she let them lead her through the Mountain pointing out what had been repaired and she looked around in wonder at it all. Smaug had attacked when she was still very small so what memories she had were fuzzy at best. She had to give it to her older brother though he really was making the best home possible for their people. Memories were creeping back as the Princes lead her up stairwells and down long halls with restored tapestries detailing their legends hanging.   
"This part of the Mountain was barely touched since Smaug was too large to fit up here" Kili informed her when she commented on the lack of claw marks on the stone floor.   
Her heart began to race as they stopped outside a door that she remembered had been her Mother's so long ago.   
"This is your room, Amad! We fixed up just how you like it and our rooms are right next to you" Fili smiled down at her. When had her eldest son gotten so tall? 

Thorin stilled as he neared the door to his rooms and looked around.   
"What is it?"   
He shook his head pushing black braids off his shoulder "I don't know. You know that feeling you get right before lightning strikes?"  
Dwalin nodded his hand going to Grasper.  
"I kinda feel like that now but how could lightning strike in the Mountain?"   
Mahal answered that question for him right after he opened his door when he was caught Dis' billy club right above his ear and dropped like a ton of stones.  
  
Dwalin froze, froze as he was confronted with an irate Princess that had just dropped the King with a well placed club. For a moment he wasn't sure if he should check to make sure Thorin was still breathing or if he should attack her. She answered that for him as a booted foot caught him square in the stones dropping him beside his best friend with a groan that turned to gagging.   
Velvet brushed his cheek as Dis stepped over them tucking her club into her dress pocket.   
"What... the... fuck..." he coughed trying to roll to his knees while holding his injured parts.   
"That was Violet. You can tell Shit for Brains the same thing when he wakes up. I am going to bed." and with that Dis disappeared down the hall with a laugh.   
Fili and Kili must have been hiding somewhere nearby because they materialized in the blink of an eye and worked together to move their Uncle to the couch before returning to Dwalin.   
"Wow Master Dwalin I never thought Amad would get the drop on you and Uncle like that!"  
"Honestly Kili give him a break" Fili chided his younger brother as they each got under an arm to lift him to his feet "my balls hurt just from watching that."   
They dropped him into the arm chair and he hissed in pain at his bruised balls somehow got between him and the seat "Mahal's balls" he cursed.   
"I bet he has balls of stone! Is that why they call them stones? Bet you wish you had those too" Kili cackled as he danced out of arm's reach.   
Fili bent his golden head over Thorin and examined where Dis hit him "Do you think we should get Oin?"   
"Nnnnno" Thorin groaned throwing a hand over his eyes.  
"Are you sure Irak'adad? Amad really rung your bell" Kili questioned as he perched on the arm of the couch.   
"Why did she hit me? I didn't even know they were back yet" Thorin moaned as he carefully probed over his ear.   
Dwalin tried to shift in his seat without moving his testicles to look at the King only to find that even breathing deeply hurt. Thorin already had a goose egg growing on the side of his head and it looked like one on his forehead as well from the fall. Wearing his crown was going to be a lot of fun but then again Dwalin wasn't sure he'd ever walk again.   
Dwalin cleared his throat and flinched "She said it was for V-Violet."   
Thorin cracked a blue eye to peer at them "How does she even know about _her?"_  
"Oooo I know the answer to that" crowed Kili causing the older dwarves to wince and Dwalin threw a small log him.   
"Oh do shut up Nadad" Fili groaned "I can answer that as well. We told Amad about her in our letters."   
Dwalin ran a hand over his face "what did you tell her exactly?"   
"Oh we told her about how many times she saved your arses, and how she riddled with Smaug, how she helped during the Battle..." Kili trailed off tapping his chin near one of the scars he'd acquired during the war "Oh and I told her where she could find her in Hobbiton!"   
"But we did not tell her about the 'Incident'" Fili added from his spot by Thorin's feet looking pleased.   
The thought of Dis visiting Violet in the Shire made Dwalin's stomach flip flop and if he'd been able to walk at that moment he would have been down that hall knocking on the Princess' door.   
  
The following morning's breakfast was eventful to say the least as Dis tore into all that gathered calling them "**binakrâg bin’adads" and "****binakrâz shekâls"  
**  
She lost her steam when they all agreed with her even Thorin and so she began to answer some of their questions but it was obvious she was keeping something from them. For once Dwalin decided to act in his own interest and before the week was out he was on the road heading back to the Shire. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brenna means "Sword" in old Norse where Tolkien got many of the Dwarves names. I figure it's a fine name for Dwalin's Mother and his daughter.  
Bellflower means "Unwavering Love". I figure 1st twin would be named the traditional Hobbit way after a flower and the surprise 2nd twin would follow her father's side in a sense. 
> 
> All translations were found on Tumblr and Islenthatur blog. 
> 
> binakrâg bin’adads~ honorless bastards  
binakrâz shekâls~ gloryless cowards


	3. Just like Dwarves to show up uninvited to a party.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin ends up with Company on his way to the Shire and learns just how protective Hobbits are of their own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Comments and Kudos are absolutely LOVELY!  
Thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement. It feels so good to be writing again after taking such a long hiatus to have a baby :)

Dwalin had thought he was striking out on his own, determined to put his heart first instead of what was best for Thorin. He had made it to Dale where he received a rather icy greeting from Bard until he told the Man he was setting out for the Shire. It was quite perplexing when Bard's children exclaimed "FINALLY!"   
The Descendant of Girion made sure to give him an excellent mount and was on his way to overfilling his saddle bags when they heard a shouted "OI you're not going to the Shire without US!"   
Fili, Kili were the first to bound into the tent city followed closely by Bofur, Bifur, Nori and Ori all puffing slightly with bags tossed over their shoulders.   
He ran a rough hand over his face as he growled "What you lot doing here?"   
"Why we're coming with you!" Kili stated with his thumbs hooked in his belt and a smug smile on his face.   
"Uncle sent this" Fili handed him a rolled parchment.   
  
_Bâheluh, _

_  
__I wish you luck on your journey and wish there was some way for me to join you. But duty calls and I do not think the old codgers on the Council would survive if I turned Dis loose on them just yet. _  
_IF everything goes well in your endeavors I shall do my best to be in the Shire by early Autumn._  
_ Fili and Kili are going stir crazy and all of Erebor will thank you for letting them come along with you._  
_ Dis however wants me to add that if you return her sons with any new scars she will shave your entire body, cover you in tar and chicken feathers before leaving you hogtied in Dale._  
_ The others have decided that they too would like to see Violet again and you know it's better to travel in a group.   
Your Brother would like me to add that you had best write back to us regularly and to take good care of his apprentice._  
_ Dori adds that he will turn mice free in your room if Ori gets hurt on this trip. _  
_ Safe Travels._  
_ T_  
  
He skimmed a hand across his bald scalp as he looked at the group now gathered around him. Kili looked ready to burst with excitement, eyes sparkling, grinning like a lunatic, his hair windswept to the point you almost couldn't see his braids; Fili was beside him trying to hide his excitement and look the part of the dignified older brother but Dwalin could tell from the flush on his cheeks that he was just as excited. Nori looked bored but he knew the Th-Spy was taking everything in while he picked his nails with one of his numerous blades, Ori was scribbling in his leather bound journal, his cheeks flushed, russet hair tousled and his scarf almost dragging behind him like a tail. Bofur had his trademark twinkle in his eyes and looked very pleased with himself while Bifur was already whittling on a stick that he found somewhere. It was obvious he wasn't going to be able to tell them to go back to Erebor, they were all too excited to go and he realized deep down that it would be nice to have company.   
It never occurred to him that Hobbiton might not be happy to see him and his companions might be the only friendly faces he would see for a while. Nor that they might help win over the Hobbits.   
"So you lot are coming with me, eh?"   
The chorus of "Yes" made him smile despite himself.   
"Fine BUT no dilly dallying or I'll leave ya behind!" he pointed a metal studded finger at the Princes who adopted innocent expressions.   
  
Mahal and Yavanna were with them as they seem to make it through the Misty Mountain with minimal snow and no sign of the Storm Giants.   
There was debate on stopping in Rivendell but despite the kindness of Lord Elrond Dwalin had no interest in stopping to share a meal of rabbit food with 'tree shaggers' despite the whine Kili started making as they passed it by. The younger Prince had been hoping for another chance to look around the Last Homely house and perhaps chat up some more elf maids. The chance to sleep in a real bed was also very tempting but Dwalin would not be swayed as they grew nearer to the Shire.   
  
Dwalin noticed as they passed through Bree that the Hobbits there were not as kind as they used to be.   
The others insisted that it was all in his head and that the Hobbits in Bree were known to be a bit different than the ones that lived in the Shire proper.   
But in Buckland there are Hobbits that smile at Fili and Kili riding at the head of the group but when they spot him they scowl or go into their homes to slam the door! Again the lads insist that it's just Dwalin's imagination but he's pretty sure something is up and inhabitants of the Shire are not fond of him.   
Just to be on the safe side he had Bofur go in to procure rooms for them at the Green Dragon Inn. It was a good idea as chatter completely stopped when he walked in behind the rest; the weight of so many eyes on him making his skin crawl.   
"Jeez Mister Dwalin maybe you're right! They look like they haaaate you" whispered Kili as they slipped into a booth.   
The final clue was when Fili had to order two ales in order for him to get one because otherwise he was ignored.  
  
This was not looking promising at all.   
  
  
  
Violet should have known something was going to happen; the wind had an odd feel to it and the when she woke up it was raining. Old Gaffer had sworn there wasn't going to be any rain for the next four days that was the whole reason she had decided to have the twins birthday party then. He was never wrong which should have pointed out to her that something was on the horizon. But she had just shrugged, grabbed her umbrella to run across the way to the Gamgees to borrow Sam and went back home. Samwise was more than happy to run messages to her cousins for her; she was pretty sure the lad was just excited to get to run around in the rain.   
Cakes were baking, lemon poppy seed and chocolate to be precise when Lobelia and Primula arrived shaking out their umbrellas while cursing the damp weather; Violet was elbow deep in pie crust as she shouted her 'Hellos' to them.   
Despite trying to have her declared dead Lobelia had become a staunch supporter of Violet and even a decent friend which surprised many. The brightly clothed hobbitess had a complete change of turn when Violet had come back home with two little girls and a broken heart.   
Where they had hardly been able to stand one another in the past they now were happily taking tea together a few times a week and did their shopping together.   
Prim was engaged to Violet's cousin Drogo on her father's side but she was also cousins with the dark haired girl. The twins turning five was their first Milestone birthday and since they were both part Took and part Baggins that meant a party worth going to. Violet had ordered much of the food from vendors and her numerous Aunts on the Took side were helping salads while her Uncles roasted meats but the cakes and sweets Violet wanted to do herself. However once the RSVP's began to roll in the sheer amount of desserts meant she needed reinforcements.   
Bellflower and Brenna had decided to go home with Samwise to play with the small horde of faunts over there instead of watching their mother bake while chatting about grown up stuff with her friends.   
  
The day had slipped quietly by as they baked as cakes as they could before they began to take them to the cold cellar. The plan was to tackle the tarts the following day and hopefully pies as well; they began to make a plan of attack in Violet's study when a heavy knock sounded from the front door.   
Violet shared a look with Primula and Lobelia "I'm not expecting anyone... Are you?"   
They both shook their heads brown and black curls bouncing. Violet looked down at her flour covered apron "Of course someone would turn up unannounced when I look like a baker."   
Giggles were the only response she got as she ventured down the hall her stomach growing tight as she neared the door and reached for the brass knob.   
Clearly the Valar were bored because there was no way Violet was prepared for who was standing on the other side of her pretty green door. She would have bet solid money with Gloin that she would never set her eyes on Dwalin, son of Fundin ever again in this life. But as sure as Yavanna made little green apples in the spring time there he stood on her stoop with rain dripping off the edge of his hood, eyes almost mercurial as they took her in.   
"Hello Violet Baggins" his deep voice raised goose flesh on her arms and she did the only thing she could think of in that moment.

She screamed and tried to slam the door.   
  
  
Dwalin was not prepared for that.   
The weather had been shite since the night before, the inn keepers just barely lukewarm towards him and that was only after he had thrown more coin at them than he thought they had ever seen. His breakfast was still cold, and the bread was almost as hard as stone. His horse had refused to leave the stable to go out in the rain so he set out on foot while the others finished eating. No one had some running after him so somehow he had managed to sneak out without the Princes noticing. He stopped being dry long before he reached Bag Shot Row and he had to shake rain off the oiled leather of his hood as he tipped his head back to read the street sign.   
The sight of the round green door had made his heart speed up and his palms started to sweat as he drew closer, licking his lips he reached out mindful of his knuckledusters to rap on the door.   
Violet had looked every bit as beautiful and more when she swung the door open; Her curls were caught up on top of her head, and she wearing just a regular blouse and skirt but to him it could have been a ball gown. Flour was smudged on her cheek and he resisted the urge to reach towards her as he said 'Hello'. Those lovely green eyes had grown wide and her mouth made a perfect 'o' as it registered that he was really there. He had prepared himself for many outcomes or so he thought but he was not prepared for her to scream while trying to slam the door in his face. Reflex had him catching the edge of the door in his large hand and stepping up to push back against it being shut on him. Too much force was put behind that motion and he forgot how much stronger he was than Violet until she fell on her arse in the hall no longer screaming but staring at him like he was there to hurt her.   
"Violet I'm so sorry" he reached towards her and she scuttled back, hands and feet propelling her away from him "please I just want to talk to you."   
Pain lanced through his heart as she shook her head with tears in those lovely eyes, her back hitting one of the end tables that dotted the hall.   
Mahal himself couldn't have told Dwalin to expect two other female hobbits to come screeching out of a nearby room to attack him with umbrellas and a rolling pin. They were fierce in their attacks as they beat him back towards the door until he tripped over the crumpled up rug to land on his arse on the landing, one hand thrown up to protect his head and the other covering his manhood.   
"Stop, OW, Stop it! Cease with your blows, dammit!"  
Strong hands seized him by the feet and the next thing he knew he was being flipped ass over tea kettle out the door, the sound of it being slammed and the seldom used lock being thrown ringing in his ears long after.   
  
  
Violet could stare wide eyed at her cousins as they proceeded to wallop Dwalin with umbrellas and... and somehow Lobelia had time to grab the rolling pin? Part of her wanted to cry in shock, another laugh at the sight of a Baggins and a Brandybuck side by side fighting instead of bickering with each other. Her heart cried out as she drank in everything about Dwalin. His head was still shaved but his beard was longer with new braids and brighter beads instead of the wooden ones he had before. Those eyes of his were still heart stopping and his voice affected her more than she wanted to admit; overall he looked fine aside from being soaked clear through.   
Before she could decide what she wanted to do with the surprise guest the ladies had each grabbed a booted foot and flipped him like a flapjack right back out the way he'd come with Prim slamming the heavy wood shut before throwing the lock that was more for decoration but did the job.   
"Are you alright?" Lobelia's hand was thrust into her view and she let her cousin-in-law pull her to her feet.   
Prim's blue eyes looked as she propped the umbrella against her shoulder while she waited for Violet to answer her.   
Thoughts chased themselves through her mind as she busied herself brushing invisible dirt from her skirt, her hair falling down to keep them from reading her expression.   
"I'm f-" her voice squeaked "ahem I'm fine. He just took me by surprise is all. I-I thought there was a chance he had died is all."   
Silence filled the foyer as she tried not to look at her closest friends and they in turn were sharing looks that read volumes.   
"He's still here" Prim's voice cut through the sound of rain hitting the windows "He looks sad."   
A hand on her shoulder stopped Violet from going to where Prim peeked out the curtains "Not until you tell us why you acted like that."   
Brown eyes caught green and Violet knew that she owed them the truth about who the dwarf on her stoop was.   
"He's one of the Dwarves that I went on that quest with" she stated straightening the table she had run into.   
"Aaaand?"  
A lump was growing in her throat by the second and she knew soon she wouldn't be able to get the words out with out crying "I-I saw him or I thought I saw him fall during the battle we were in but I was banished before I could learn for sure if he had survived."   
Primula kept her post by the window but turned worried blue eyes to look at her cousin.   
"We grew very close towards the end of the journey..." the memory of them dancing together on Beorn's porch was vivid behind her eyes and she could almost smell the flowers the Skin Changer grew there.  
  
_Dwalin had been so kind and gentle with her as they healed there in the gardens. Sitting on the porch in the moonlight had revealed a new side to the bald warrior and before Violet knew it she had begun to fall in love with him. Their first kiss had been by surprise when he was teaching her how to use Sting and they had come together so close their breath had mingled. Before she knew it his lips were on hers and her blood was singing through her veins like she had snuck some of the Gaffer's home brew. _  
_The last night at Beorn's Dwalin had invited her on a walk in the garden after dinner only to surprise her with a small blanket with some of Beorn's honeyed wine set up beside the stream that cut across his property. Watching the sky shift from pink hued twilight to dark blue night they had shared stories, hopes and kisses until stars were winking above them. The kisses grew hotter and longer, the wine soon forgotten as they tasted it's sweetness from each others tongues, hands whispered as they pushed the clothing from each others bodies with only the moon for light. They knew what was waiting for them at the end of this quest but for that night they had each other and they gave into the feelings the had bloomed between them.   
_  
"He's the Da to your girls, isn't he?" Lobelia whispered shooting glances towards the door like he could hear them through it.   
Face growing hot and words failing her for once all she could was nod.   
"Does he know about them?"   
Violet shook her head "I was informed that trying to return to Erebor would result in my death so I've not been real keen on seeing how writing them would go."  
"He's still here" Prim stated as she cut her eyes to look at the clock "when are the girls coming back from the Gamgees?"  
"Supper time."   
Lobelia put away her umbrella and patted her hair before crossing her arms over her chest "I think you should tell him about Bellflower and Brenna."   
Violet felt her jaw drop while Prim began to sputter behind them "What!"   
Taking a seat on Belladonna's glory box Lobelia smoothed her apron "You said it yourself that you thought he was dead. Now that you know he's not he deserves to know he's a Da."  
Violet could only squeak when Prim's curt voice answered "You have got to be kidding, Lobelia."   
"Not at all" she sniffed "tell me why shouldn't he know about them?"   
"Because they threatened to kill her" Prim shrilled.   
Lobelia huffed "I'm sure he didn't personally. Didn't you say that it was the King? That Oakstick person?"   
Violet nodded slowly feeling like she was in a dream as she supplied "Thorin Oakenshield. He's King Under the Mountain."  
"Fine" Prim snapped "But this bald bloke has never tried to contact Violet. Why should she just go out there and tell him about those little ones?"   
Lobelia opened her mouth only to snap it shut again with a scowl at the younger hobbit.   
Thundered rolled loud enough for them to hear and they all stared at each other.   
"Oh for Yavanna's sake this is ridiculous" Prim griped as she stomped to the door.   
"Wait, Prim what are you doing?" Violet took a step forward as her little cousin swung the round door open to reveal Dwalin sitting in the rain on her mother's favorite bench and then step out into the rain with the umbrella she had wielded earlier.   
"Now what is she going to do now?"   
  
  
Dwalin thought he might have started to grow moss on his arse by the time he made it back to the Green Dragon that evening.   
The little dark haired hobbit that had helped toss him from Bag End had apparently had enough of him moping on her cousin's bench which she actually told him as such. The little lass had stood there under a garish purple umbrella with orange lace trim and told him off for breaking her cousin's heart and that if he had any sense he would come back when the sun was shining with a decent apology bouquet. After she was done the little thing had tutted down the lane to the next home with a round red door which had opened to release the sound of children and a golden light.   
The sound of all the laughter made him remember speaking with Violet so long ago in Beorn's garden about their hopes of a family.   
  
_"I only have my brother. It would be nice to have a pebble of my own." _  
_Violet had smiled softly up at him "It was just Mama and Papa growing up. I don't have any siblings and it was so lonely. I'd love to have a house full of faunts." _  
_"Faunts?" He loved looking at her as the sun drew out the gold strands in her red hair. _  
_She chuckled "That's what hobbit children are called or fauntlings."   
  
_He poured the warm ale down his throat and trudged up the stairs to his room where he left all of his sodden clothes in a heap by the fire. Nothing today had gone as he'd hoped but what had hurt the most was the expression on Violet's face as she had scrambled to get away from him. The pain, the hurt, the fear on her face ate a hole in his heart as he tossed and turned in his bed. Then as if Mahal had struck him Dwalin came up with a new plan. He knew who Violet would be happy to see without a doubt.   
Kili and Fili.   
He'd send them around in the morning and hopefully by lunch one of the lads would be able to tell him how to get her to speak to him.   
  
  
The sun was shining and Violet was much relieved when Tauriel had popped in shortly before breakfast, having finally returned from her latest trip with the Rangers.   
Bellflower and Brenna had eaten a large breakfast, played hard running around the smial in excitement that their _Aras_ had returned until they had both dropped for their morning nap. Violet was pouring tea for the pair now that it was quiet when a new knock sounded from the door. Her heart raced as a second knock came that was very reminiscent of a knock she had heard for the first so many years ago.   
_Kili and Fili.  
_The pair stood there in the sunshine beaming at her much the same as the first night they had invaded her home.   
"_My boys_" she whispered as tears sprung to her eyes. The pair caught her up in a hug so tight she couldn't breath but she didn't care as she held them to her and cried.   
  
She wanted to pinch herself as she poured two more cups of tea for the smiling dwarves across the table from her.   
Kili's beard was a little more grown in but still not long enough for any adornments like Fili's. His brown hair still tousled with just his braids marking him as an archer and Prince of Erebor visible. There were new scars on his face that made her heart hurt as she studied him; one started at his hairline almost to his eye and another bisected his chin, glaring white amongst the dark stubble. He looked a little broader and his walk was still held some swagger but seemed like something more to it.   
Fili's mustache was still longer than his beard but both held new beads of gold in their braids and gold hair resembled a mane even more now than five years ago. No new scars could be seen on his face but Violet had noticed a limp when he had entered the kitchen and the urge to ask him what happened was on the tip of her tongue but she waited.   
"I can't believe you're here" she gushed taking her seat across from Fili and beside Tauriel "when did you arrive?"   
Fili opened his mouth but Kili answered her first "Day before last! We would have come yesterday but the weather was so rotten we stayed in and slept."   
"That rain is what held me up as well" Tauriel added as she sipped her tea.   
Fili straightened in his seat "we should have written you instead of just dropping in" he admitted.   
"Nonsense" she waved a hand "I told you many times that if you were in the Shire to stop by whenever."   
"But that was before Uncle banished you" Kili pointed out reaching for a cookie "We weren't sure you'd want to see us."   
Violet took a slow sip of her tea "Honestly I should be upset with you two for not writing to let me know you're alive."   
Both lads blushed under their whiskers and ducked their heads while the elf hummed in agreement.  
"But your mother saved you from that tongue lashing when she visited me last year."   
  
With the way their Amad had acted before they had left Fili and Kili had been expecting the worst when it came to seeing their Hobbit. They had been prepared for her took look ill, not want to see them, perhaps yell or throw things at them but none of that had happened. In fact Miss Boggins looked better than ever as she sat there chatting with them while drinking tea. She wasn't quite as plump as the first time they had met and her eyes when she thought they weren't looking would get glassy with tears but all in all she looked alright. Whenever one of them tried to mention what had happened after the battle or their uncle she skillfully changed the topic to something more pleasant.   
Tauriel was the one to ask if they had come alone while Violet stared into her teacup as if she was reading the leaves.   
"Oh you know Amad and Uncle would never have been alright with that" Fili stated.  
"And if we had tried they would have had Dwalin drag us back by our hair" Kili added with a laugh as he dunked a biscuit in his tea.   
"Who all is with you then?"   
"Nori and Ori though we haven't seen Nori in since we got here" Kili answered absently while picking another treat.   
"Bofur, Bifur and... Dwalin" finished Fili peeking over the top of his cup at the females.   
"Dwalin's here?" Tauriel's hand went to the long dagger on her hip.   
Kili's eyes brows rose up to almost touch his hair line and he shared a look with his brother.   
"y-yes" they answered weakly eyes darting from elf to hobbit and back again.   
"We left him at the Inn. He has been in a foul mood since last night."  
"I see" was all Tauriel said leaning back in her chair with her eyes narrowed dangerously.   
Kili couldn't take it any longer "What does it matter about Dwalin being here?"   
A soft sound came from the other room and Violet ran a hand over her eyes before she got up from the table.   
"Not a word about this to anyone or I will send you back to Erebor without your tongues" the elleth threatened softly leaning forward so that none but them could hear her.   
"What is going oooo _fuzak_..."Fili muttered before his blue eyes widened and Kili followed his gaze.  
The answer he received was one that neither of them were prepared for as Violet drew two small figures in matching pink dresses into the kitchen.   
"These are my daughters."   
One pair of green eyes like her mother and one pair of grey eyes that were so familiar Kili almost swallowed his tongue stared at the Princes.   
One started "Bellflower!"  
"And Brenna!" added the other twin.   
"Baggins. At your service!" they finished in unison bowing with flourish and giggles almost tipping them over.   
"I'm going to kill him" growled Kili to his brother. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bâheluh~ Friend of all friends.  
Aras~ Deer in Sindarin.  
Fuzak~ fuck in khuzdul.


	4. See me in the starlight.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things come together but not in a way anyone expected. Love is messy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot express how much I enjoy waking up to the comments this is receiving!  
I can't write on a schedule right now so it's just whenever the stars line up just right and all 3 girls are snoozing.
> 
> Bold will be Khuzdul.

Violet wanted to say 'No',to pack the girls up and leave till she was sure that Dwalin had gone back over the horizon to Erebor but in her heart she knew that she couldn't do that.  
They would get to know their Da and he them; how she could be mad about that when she had such lovely memories with her own father?   
Once she had soothed Kili's ruffled feathers with cookies, milk and promises that the way the twins came to be was completely out of love the Princes got to know girls better.   
"Are you really a Prince?" Bellflower had claimed Fili's lap and it was obvious she wanted to touch on of his mustache braids but kept her tiny hands clasped in her lap.   
"Oh yes, _Mizimith" _Fili smiled at the "in fact I am next in line to be a King."   
Brenna wasn't as sure of the new beings in her home so she hovered between Tauriel and Kili like a little hummingbird while she nibbled on a biscuit, her grey eyes never leaving the pair.   
"What are you?" she spoke finely squinting at them with her little nose all wrinkled "You have so much hair."   
Kili snorted his tea while Tauriel clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle laughter; Violet gasped at such rudeness "_Brenna Baggins_ that is not how you speak to guests!"   
"It's fine ack" Kili mopped at his chin and nose with a napkin "We, my darling little hobbit, are dwarves."   
Brenna stepped closer to him, almost touching close to study him with a gimlet eye "Are you really a dwarf?"   
"Well she certainly takes about Master Dwalin with the suspicion" Fili stated as Kili almost squirmed from the staring.  
"Auntie Dis is a dwarf" Bellflower reminded her sister while the brothers shared a look while mouthing "_auntie_?"  
Brenna crossed her arms over her tiny chest and her scowl deepened as she stared at the pair.  
Kili leaned over to whisper in his brother's ear **_"It is very disconcerting that she has mastered that look so young."  
_**Fili's shoulders shook as he chuckled **_"She makes me want to admit to things that we did before she existed."  
_**He leaned down to look Brenna in the face "I swear on my Amad's life that I am a true dwarf."  
The little faunt opened her mouth when Violet cut her off "And you know their Amad, sweetling."   
  
  
Dwalin tried to wait patiently at the Inn, first in his room and then down in the common area. It felt as though the sun was barely inching across the sky as he waited for one of the Princes to return with word. He had spotted Ori in the far corner almost under the stairs with his journal out, a plate of cookies and a mug of tea forgotten by his elbow.   
"I was wondering where you had gone" he stated settling down on the bench across from the younger dwarf.   
Ori glanced up at him from under his russet fringe "Oh hello" he nodded "I wandered a bit but there's just so much to write down and Peony has been so kind" he pointed at the hobbitess behind the bar who gave him a little finger wave.   
"I see..."   
The scribe blushed pink "nothing like that! I swear you're as bad as Nori!"   
Dwalin chuckled before looking around the Inn "Speaking of which where is that brother of yours?"   
"Around somewhere, I suppose" Ori whirled his quill in a circle before returning to whatever he was scribbling in that book of his.   
Dwalin crossed his arms over his chest and squinted "That is incredibly vague especially from you."   
Ori seemed sink behind his scarf as he met Dwalin's stern gaze "All he said was that he was going have a look around." he peeped.  
"Honestly are you trying to intimidate my brother? I thought you'd learned by now that Ori is a tough nugget after dealing with Dori's overbearing self" Nori scolded with a laugh as he dropped down beside him.   
"Just wanted to make sure you weren't off causing trouble."   
Nori put a hand on his chest and gasped looking wounded "Me? Cause trouble around here! Wouldn't dream of it. I'm a reformed dwarf, remember?"   
"Mahal's balls" Dwalin swore "you and I both know you're not that reformed. Now what were you up to?"   
The star haired thief made a show of flirting with the waitress who left with pink ears and high pitched giggles before motioning for the others to lean in.   
"Turns out our burglar has a secret."   
Ori's eyes grew huge and Dwalin scowled while motioning for him to continue.   
"Don't know what yet" Nori shrugged "Hobbits don't trust outsiders hardly at all and dwarves even less after we took one of theirs off on a quest only to return her broken."   
"Violet's not broken" he growled not liking the idea of them thinking his One was damaged goods.   
Nori held his hands up in the sign of 'not his words' while Ori coughed softly "She might be a little broken."   
Dwalin turned his cold eyes towards the younger Ri "How do you figure that?"   
The lad blinked owlishly "You didn't see her face when Balin told her she was banished. We broke her heart. I wish we hadn't, I miss her."   
Nori took a large swig of his ale before setting it down with a THUD "I know what you should do, nadadith!"   
"What?" Ori peered at Nori, tugging on one of his braids like usual when he's thinking.  
"Invite her here" he winked "Then we can all see her! It'll be like old times drinking, dancing and drinking!"   
"What are we drinking too?" Bofur's smiling face appeared above Ori's bowed head.   
"Reuniting with old friends" Nori beamed at his supposed genius idea.   
Bifur spoke rapidly beside Bofur, so quickly in fact that Dwalin only caught every third word.   
"Aye, good question Bifur" Bofur twisted one end of his mustache "Who are we reuniting with and when will we be drinking?"   
"I'm going to invite Violet here" Ori answered him with a small smile "And hopefully she'll be who we're drinking with."   
  
Fili was the prince to show up, much later than they had discussed looking more like his Uncle than Dwalin had thought possible. The golden haired Prince seemed to be looking everywhere but at him and Dwalin found his patience wearing thin as Fili spoke with everyone around them.   
"Um a word lad."   
It took everything in him to not cuff Fili when he held up a hand and continued speaking with Nori, who was gleefully laying out the plan to get Violet to the Green Dragon.   
"Who thought of that cocked up plan?" Fili roared startling almost everyone in the area.   
"Mine" Ori squeaked and Fili visibly deflated.   
"Truth be told I'm not sure she'll accept..." all the dwarves groaned "but she might" Fili added shooting a look at Dwalin and jerking his head toward the stable door.   
  
"You need to talk to Violet."   
"I tried that! It didn't go well."   
Fili snorted "No shit. I heard about the 'umbrella incident'."   
"So she did talk to you?"   
Fili nodded his golden head "Oh yes no issue there. And from what she told me you never tried to contact her before yesterday?"   
Dwalin felt his head growing hot "Aye. There was never time between healing up, recovering from the gold sickness and helping your Uncle with everything."   
Fili dragged a hand down his face, tugging one of his mustache braids "Uncle did not hang the sun and moon. He's not your One, Dwalin."   
Those words echoed in his soul, ringing true like a hammer when it strikes hot metal on the anvil "I know, Fili. That's why I'm here."   
  
  
Violet's hand shook as she opened the missive that Fili had brought back with him. Relief edged with disappointment flooded her as she recognized Ori's flowing handwriting and she couldn't stop the smile that curled her lips as she read.  
**"Do you think she'll accept?" **Kili whispered behind his cookie.   
Fili shrugged while nibbling his own cookie "I hope so, everyone is anxious to see her but didn't want to all come here. **I think it would be the best way to get ****_them_**** to talk.**"  
  
Violet dragged her gaze away from the parchment in her hands and met the pair of eyes staring innocently up at her "What?"   
"Soooo" Kili held his hands out and smiled hopefully "Will you?"   
She slid on to the couch opposite of the pair and sighed.   
_Should she?  
Could she?_  
_Was it a good idea? _  
_What about the girls? _  
She did miss seeing the others and she hadn't really gone out since the twins were much smaller.   
"I don't know" she hated how small her voice sounded "I have to get ready for the girls birthday and..."   
"And nothing. Violet Baggins you are going to this shindig and that's that" a crisp voice cut her off.   
Primula stood in the kitchen door with a determined look in her blue eyes and her flour covered hands on her hips. The look she was giving them was fierce enough that Kili almost slid behind his brother to escape the glare; Fili was looking at the dark haired hobbit with what Violet could only describe as dawning respect.   
"She makes me think of Amad, a little bit" he whispered to Kili.   
"Why do you think I'm hiding behind you" was the younger's answer.   
"Primula, No" Violet stood to mirror her cousin "There's too much to do. I have no sitter."   
Prim arched a dark brow "There is not! We've done everything we can for now and what do you mean you do not have a sitter? I can be your sitter! Have you forgotten how many siblings and cousins I have back home in Buckland?"   
Violet felt her face heat up since she actually had forgotten how many faunts Prim looked after at one of the Great Smials. The Brandybucks were almost a plentiful as the Tooks and Prim was amongst the older of her generation.   
Indecision warred still on her face and she knew that the boys and Prim could see it, and she hated that she was so conflicted.   
"But how do I talk to him? How do I tell him that's a father? Can I really just drop that on him?"   
Fili gave a look of sympathy while Kili seemed to be turning her questions over in his mind, it was Prim that crossed the room and pulled her into a tight hug "you've told me enough about him that it's clear to me that he deserves to know about them."   
  
  
"She accepted" Ori crowed to the group gathered around him, her response in his hand.   
Dwalin couldn't believe it had worked, he had been almost positive that she'd tell them to kick rocks and never come back.   
"What did she say to you lad?"   
Fili and Kili turned in unison from the bar, tankards in hand, Fili with traces of foam in his whiskers from taking a deep swig.   
"About what" Kili's tone was darker than the sky outside and Dwalin paused to look at the young prince. He wasn't the only one to take notice as the others turned to look at the usually smiling dwarf.   
Fili leaned close to Kili's ear and the look that Kili was giving Dwalin made him think the lad was thinking very dark things about him indeed.   
"Fine but I'm not drinking with him tonight" Kili slammed his ale down on the bar so hard foam sprayed any nearby before stomping up the stairs to the room they shared.   
"Mahal's beard what was that about" cried Bofur foam dripping off the wings of his hat.   
There was something in Fili's Durin blue eyes that made Dwalin want to squirm when the Heir shot him a look before answering "He's just had an off day."   
"Are ya sure because he wasn't this cross even back when he was stabbed through by Bolg" asked Nori as he blotted ale from Ori's sweater.  
Fili took another deep drink from his pint "I'm sure. Just a bit of an emotional day."   
  
  
Violet's hands shook as she secured her auburn curls with a clover green ribbon that matched her favorite frock. Spring in the Shire was warmer than Erebor and Violet was so thankful for that. Her favorite dress made her feel more confident but it was not suitable for cold weather.   
The short chemise was a brilliant bright white with little puff sleeves that stopped at her elbow tied with tiny green ribbons, her overdress was the same shade of green as her hair ribbon with brass grommets looking smart on the front. Her skirt stopped at the knees which was a bit racy but she was an adult and could dress how she pleased. It nipped in at her waist and the bones of it replaced the support of a breast band. Every time she wore it she just felt so feminine and pretty.   
"You look lovely" Prim's voice startled her from her assessment.   
  
Thunder rolled as Violet peeked in on her sleeping daughters, Brenna was sprawled out like someone had tossed her on the bed with one foot dangling off the mattress and her arms flung wide; Bellflower was in a small knot on her stomach with her knees tucked up and tiny bum in the air, both softly snoring. Prim had situated herself in Bungo's favorite chair with her tatting, a cup of tea and some biscuits, looking completely comfortable. The sound of rain drops could be heard tapping against the windows and Violet was not surprised to see that Prim had already propped her umbrella right next to the door.   
Her hand stilled as she reached for the shining brass knob "Should I really be doing this?"   
The sound of porcelain clinking together was jarring and she could hear Prim sigh "Yes, you really should."  
"I'm so nervous. What if this is a bad idea?" she worried turning to look at her cousin.   
Prim smiled softly, needles clicking as she worked on her project "Then you'll sneak out of there and come straight home. We'll come up with a plan to make them pay and then we'll take the girls to Tuckborough or Buckland for a walking holiday. I do think you're borrowing trouble, however."   
Drawing a deep breath she knew that Prim was right but as much as she didn't want to admit it Prim's half baked plan settled the butterflies in her stomach.   
"But-"   
"No more 'buts' Violet Baggins" Prim's voice was sharp "You need to do this. You better get going or you'll be late with the rain."   
  
  
The Inn glowed with warm light as Violet strolled down the lane towards it. Rain pattered against her umbrella in a steady beat and the ground beneath her furry feet was damp but thankfully not completely mud just yet. Music drifted out the doors and she could smell the brew that made the Green Dragon famous; as she stood on the threshold she could see the table that the Company occupied. Her heart began to race as she watched Bofur laugh at something and Bifur nodded smiling broadly.   
The bar was busy and Violet could see Hobbits that she knew, some that she was related to and a few that she even liked. Eyes searching for a familiar tattooed head she frowned when she couldn't spot Dwalin anywhere in the mix. He stood at least a head taller than the tallest Hobbit and yet he wasn't to be found.   
_Where is he? _  
_Did he not want to see me? I certainly thought he did considering he showed up unannounced earlier.   
_Her thoughts were thankfully interrupted from growing darker by a familiar face. Nori slid from the shadows beside her and if she hadn't grown used to soft footed children sneaking up on her at all hours he would have come very close to a shot to the stones but instead she just smiled at him before hugging him.   
"And what are you doing lingering out here in the shadows?" he asked following her line of sight.   
She blushed "Just a bit nervous about seeing everyone is all."   
Nori arched a braided brow "I see. Nervous just because it's been so long or nervous because we are not the only ones with secrets?"   
If it hadn't been for his searching gaze she would have panicked thinking he knew of her daughters but she knew when Nori was fishing. Somehow despite all those willing to gossip about her the star haired dwarf had not found out about her children.   
"Well we did not part ways on the best terms so excuse me if I am a bit cautious."   
The questing look was gone from his hazel eyes and Nori nodded instead in understanding; Violet felt like a bit of an ass for her comment then.   
Linking an arm through his she smiled brighter than she felt "Come on, lets go join the fun instead of standing in the damp like mushrooms."   
"You hobbits and your mushrooms" Nori chuckled beside her before they were enveloped in cheer as they joined the others.   
  
  
Dwalin had watched her stand on the threshold and he had held his breath half expecting her to turn away into the night. The indecision had been clear on her beautiful face and he had noticed her eyes searching the common area. He knew what she was looking for and was torn between feeling hopeful or saddened; she had been searching for him.  
Just when he had thought she wasn't going to join them a smile had curled her lips and Nori materialized beside her.   
Dwalin had decided to sit apart from the others as to not make Violet nervous, so there he sat in the shadows like someone skulking about with ill intent watching a female that might not want anything to do with him. It curdled in his stomach the thought that Violet might not want to speak to him or perhaps even see him while his heart skipped a beat at the mere mention of her.   
Violet looked lovelier than ever as he watched her cross the busy area to where all but Kili were seated. The younger prince had been adamant in his refusal to drink or eat anywhere near Dwalin and it pained the old warrior more than he wanted to admit. Fili just shook his head when pressed about the change in his brother and only repeated that he would explain everything tomorrow.  
The reunion was a happy one, though he did not miss Violet dashing tears from her eyes as she hugged Bofur and Ori nor did he miss the way her gaze darted around the room still looking for him. The candle light illuminated her hair until it looked like sunshine and the dress she was wearing was something he had never seen before but certainly hoped he would again.  
She was beautiful.  
The hobbits that were drinking at the bar were keeping one ear turned to where Violet was, obviously listening for anything that they could gossip about later.  
He nursed his ale and waited.  
There was much chatter and laughter coming from the group and more than once Ori or Bofur would motion for him to join them but he waited. He didn't want to spoil the good time so he waited to see if he could catch Violet's gaze as she scanned the room.   
After what felt like forever it happened. He actually was looking down when she spotted him and it suddenly sounded like she was right next to him as he heard her intake of breath.   
Green eyes ensnared grey and suddenly he was frozen in his seat under her eyes. Violet stood almost as if she had been pulled upwards and with just a brief word to Fili she was drifting across the crowded room to where he sat in shadow. Her steps slowed as she neared the table and he pushed the chair beside him out for her but she instead came to stand between his knees. He had been using the wall behind him as to keep an eye on every corner of the room now it felt as if he had left himself open for a different attack.  
Everything seemed to fade away around them as they studied each other and Dwalin found himself unable to speak despite opening his mouth a number of times to utter something. Violet drew in a deep breath and cut her eyes to a spot over his shoulder breaking the spell they had wove slightly.   
"I'm sorry my cousins assaulted you with umbrellas and tossed you out."   
Laughter bubbled up inside of him like from a long forgotten spring and Violet quirked a brow at him before she began to giggle as well at the absurdity of the sentence.   
"It's fine, lass. I deserved it honestly for turning up like that after so long" he wiped tears from his cheeks and Violet responded with a new peel of giggles.   
He caught her eye this time and tentatively held out his hand. She paused for barely a heartbeat before placing her much smaller one in his.   
"I truly apologize for scaring you like that" he swallowed against the lump in his throat and bowed his head "And for not writing you to let you know that I had survived. I have wronged you and I am deeply sorry. I was a boulder brained clot head and..."   
  
A soft finger was against his lips stopping him from finishing his apology; Violet's eyes seemed to almost glow as she stared at him, absorbing all that he had said. Without any notice he was being pulled out a hidden door that he had not even noticed when he had sat down. The silence in the stables was deafening compared to the din of the bar and for a moment all he could hear was Violet's breathing, and his own heartbeat.   
  
Violet had felt happy, and in control while laughing with Fili, Ori, Nori, Bofur, and Bifur. They had told her that Kili was taking a nap and to not worry about the lad. She had felt the control slip a little with the ale consumed and as she was drawn to Dwalin nerves pushed it down a bit farther. There had been electricity between them and whatever she had been expecting it hadn't been for him to start laughing at her halfhearted apology. When she had thought about what she had just said it was a truly ridiculous sentence and she began to laugh as well. The tension had bled away and she had been considering how best to tell him of their daughters when his apology had struck her like lightning. Dwarves do not apologize easily or quickly and to hear him admit that he was in the wrong had cracked something within her till all she could think of was how to get out there unnoticed. Any small voice that might have been saying this was a bad idea was silent or perhaps drunk.  
The little used door to the stables near their spot was quite a neat trick and no sooner had it shut behind them than she had Dwalin's lips upon hers. His noise of surprise was a heady thing but nowhere near so much as the passion that he put into kissing her back.   
There was no noise in the stables aside from them and the horses nearby.   
Hands soon began to roam and Violet found herself consumed with wanting, needing to touch as much of Dwalin as she could. Staggering steps found them edging back into an unoccupied stall with only soft gasps and moans. Dwalin took great care to lower her into the soft sweet smelling hay as he strung kisses under her jaw and up her ear.  
Oh he had not forgotten how sensitive those points were and she trembled as he nibbled them.   
Hands pushed, pulled and untied whatever was in their way and soon Violet's dress was undone with her chemise barely a barrier while she pulled Dwalin's tunic from his broad shoulders. Long before that she had pushed his cloak from his shoulders and the leather straps holding his various weapons across his chest. How she stripped him so quickly would a mystery for the ages but in that moment they didn't stop to question it. All that mattered was touching, being touched and reveling in the feel of the other. The large buckle on his heavy belt was no match for her clever fingers and Dwalin stilled as she pulled it from his belt loops to toss aside.   
He pressed his warm forehead against hers as she tugged at the lace holding his breeches shut "Violet, are you sure? Should we be doing this?"   
Everything was in shadow as she looked at him. She wanted this, even if it was just tonight, she needed this before everything changed.   
"Yes."   
Dwalin shuddered "But we need to talk."   
Violet hooked a heel on his pants and pushed as she twined fingers in his beard to pull his face to hers. She knew that he had a point, much more than he even realized but she ached for his touch and considering it could all be ashes tomorrow she needed this moment. In her heart she knew there was a very real chance that he would not forgive her for keeping the girls a secret and she would be alone till she passed into Yavanna's Gardens.  
This would be a moment that she could keep in her heart till the end of time.   
"Talking can wait for the sun. Just be with me now... please."   
The heat of the kiss that followed curled her toes and left them both breathless.  
  
  
Dwalin knew he should say more but her words rung true in his heart and the heat from her kiss was enough to melt iron. Talking could wait till the sun was shining and clearer heads prevailed. Her 'please' pulled at something in his heart and he found that he could not muster the word 'No' to his lips.   
The night air was cool around them but neither felt it as they kissed and caressed every bit of skin they exposed. Violet's skin was just as soft as he remembered and he traced a hand over every silky inch he could touch. She shivered and moaned while doing her own exploration and he knew if there had been any light she would have had questions about the new scars he had acquired but that was for later.   
He followed her lead, prepared to stop whenever she said the words. But the words did not come and instead he found his cock being freed from it's confines to throb in the night air. Violet almost purred as she wrapped a hand around it and he hissed as she stroked him. It had been so long since someone had touched him; Violet was actually the last so long ago at Beorns. It had felt wrong to even touch himself in the years after she had been banished so he had gone a very long time with no physical contact with anyone and now her touch made his senses sing like none other.   
It felt like the years melted away as Violet arched against him shifting her body and soon she had him where she wanted him. A curse was on his lips as she pulled him against her until he was completely sheathed inside of her. It had been so long and it felt so perfect he had a moment of thinking this was a dream or a trick of a head wound. Her small nails bit smartly into his forearms as she purred with the roll of her hips that had him seeing stars. The tiny pinches of her nails shook the dream haze from him and he answered her by dragging his length from her only to plunge back in to the hilt. The moan that he pulled from her throat was sweet and he fell into a rhythm that made Violet sing a song of passion that he'd never forget. Their first time so long ago had been tender and soft with hushed tones since the others were so near.   
Now?   
There was nothing holding them back, concerns had been left to await the dawn.   
He felt the change in Violet's passion, the faint tremor that was building and he knew she was close. It was nothing for him to keep the pace and dip his dark head down to tug at a nipple there in the night; her answering howl made him smile though she could not see it. Fireworks exploded behind his eyelids as her orgasm triggered his own and he struggled to control his own groan of release as he shuddered over her before his arms gave out. In the darkness he pulled her to lie on his chest and savored the moment.  
  
All that could be heard was their harsh breathing and the sound of the rain beginning again.   
Violet wished she could stop time in that moment as they lay together listening to the rain, her body still singing from their love making but all good things end. This ended with the door opening and shutting quickly followed by a muttered curse in a voice Violet wished had stayed in bed.   
"Violet" Kili hissed "Where are you? I swear if he's done something to you I'll kill him."   
Dread coiled in her belly as Dwalin froze beside her and she sat up quickly only realize that her dress was completely undone; Dwarves have excellent night vision and this was not a state she wished for Kili to see her in. A quick pat revealed that the laces were completely undone on the front of her dress and she knew there was no hope of doing them up right in near pitch darkness.   
Yavanna smiled for a moment before Manwe laughed as Violet's hand landed what turned out to be Dwalin's cloak; no sooner did she get it around her shoulders than a roll of thunder and bolt of lightening lit up the stables. The glow from the bolt did not seem dissipate as quickly as Violet was hoping and she could see the anger on Kili's face turn to rage as he took in her mussed hair, and Dwalin's shirtless chest.   
"What. HAVE. YOU. DONE!"   
In a blink Violet realized that Kili was not screaming at her but Dwalin!   
The prince quickly switched to khuzdul and Violet could only stare even after the light faded. She had never seen nor imagined her smiling, happy Kili could ever morph into someone so enraged and serious looking. Dwalin slowly stood beside her and it seemed that whatever Kili was saying was getting the bigger dwarf.   
The decision to stay or leave pulled at her heart but the louder Kili became the more her mind was urging her to flee. Flashes of Thorin screaming in her face on the wall made her pulse speed up and her palms began to sweat.   
_He's not here. He's not here. He's not here.   
_"I DID NOT FORCE MYSELF ON HER" Dwalin roared beside her as another crack of lightning split the sky and she couldn't silence the panic trying to swallow her any longer. Any shouts for her to come back were lost in the storm as she pulled the hood up and ran in the direction of home. She did not notice the rain, the chill or anything till she was inside the door of Bag End with the lock thrown.  
There in the safety of her home she collapsed against the door, a sobbing mess with Primula stroking her hair.   
  
  
Dwalin knew nothing good could last especially not after fucking in a stable stall a shout away from some of his closest friends. Violet fit against him perfectly and it had been so peaceful laying there with her.   
The anger and chill in Kili's voice immediately put him on edge and he could sense the panic starting in Violet. He could only assume that Eru had a twisted sense of humor as lightning split the sky at that moment. Kili must have noticed how Violet froze standing there wrapped in his cloak because the prince switched to Khuzdul.  
"**WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!"  
**Even in the darkness he could see the rage in Kili's eyes but he could not understand what had caused the change.   
**"HOW DID YOU GET HER BACK HERE! WHAT HAPPENED TO HER CLOTHES! WHERE IS YOUR FUCKING SHIRT!"   
**He knew how it looked and he knew that anything that he said would just infuriate Kili more.   
**"DID YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE HER OF YOU FUCKER?"**  
**"Kili calm down." **even as the words left his mouth he knew it was a mistake but there ya have it. It's not like he was known for saying the right thing in these Aule blasted moments. Those words almost fell on deaf ears but there was a moment where Kili took a breath.   
**"CALM DOWN! HAVEN'T YOU DONE ENOUGH TO VIOLET! NOW YOU HAVE TO ADD VIOLATING HER AS WELL!"   
**Anger finally cracked his resolve to remain calm and he roared back "I DID NOT FORCE MYSELF ON HER!"   
Lightning arched, and snapped, and before either dwarf could react Violet was off sprinting into the storm to disappear from sight.   
Kili's shouts of anger continued as he tried to fix his clothing and find the missing pieces before heading out into the rain. Dwalin's eyes were trying to find what direction Violet went in the darkness and he never saw the fist coming.  
That first blow was a real bell ringer and it was only from the fact that Dwalin had been hit creatures much larger than the prince. However Kili was fueled by rage and no sooner had Dwalin regain his senses from the first hit than Kili was tackling him, taking both through a stall wall spooking the pony on the other side.   
Their fists flew and Dwalin was not sure how long they traded blows or insults as they called each other everything from a 'son of a bitch' to a 'milking goat.'  
Strong hands pried them apart in the darkness before an orange light lit the stable and left him blinking owlishly as his eyes... well eye adjusted; the other felt a might swollen and he might have gotten some blood in it.  
Whether it was his or Kili's was another story.   
Bofur and Fili were between the dueling pair while Bifur held his torch high taking it all in.   
Fili looked livid while Bofur just looked exasperated.   
"What the hell do you think you're doing!"   
Dwalin had been prepared to answer when he realized Fili was addressing Kili. The younger prince looked like he was pouting even as his nose leaked blood, his lip was swelling and it looked like he might have a black eye of his own.   
"Nadad he had Violet in here!"   
Fili raked a hand through his blond mane "I know."   
Kili froze as he dabbed at his nose with a piece of cloth Bifur had produced from one of his pockets "YOU KNEW!"   
"Of course" Fili scoffed "Violet was with us and spoke with me before she went to speak with Dwalin. I watched her lead him in through the side door."   
"But but but" Kili stammered.   
Fili held up a hand "I know he deserved it for other reasons but you attacked him for all the wrong ones."   
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I DESERVED IT" he cried indignantly doing his best to scowl at the pair.   
"Where is your shirt?"   
  
  
Dawn found them all and none were prepared.   
Violet had washed her face free of dried tears and put on a smile as she began to get everything set for her daughters birthday party.   
Dwalin had awoke with a groan as Nori threw open the shutters and he begun to mutter curses as he took stock of his injuries.   
Fili and Kili tried to have a lie in but Bofur was having none of that considering Violet had invited them to a party that afternoon and he was looking forward to her cooking.   
Kili and Dwalin were a sight to behold with their black eyes and split lips; Kili had two blacks eyes actually and Dwalin also had sore looking scrape at his crown.   
"I think you two only looked slightly worse after the Battle of Five Armies" Bofur chuckled as he slid two pints in front of them along with a plate of breakfast.   
Dwalin settled on a glare for his response as he tipped back the drink while Kili groaned at Bofur to go do something physically impossible.   
  
  
The Party Tree looked brilliant with the streamers hanging down and the birthday party spread out around the base of it. As the sun slipped across the sky Violet had kept herself busy arranging things and directing her cousins in setting everything up. She had set the start time for mid-afternoon and now as it was nigh she found herself with sweating palms, and butterflies in her stomach.   
Bellflower and Brenna looked pretty as a picture in their matching birthday frocks of pale pink, their inky curls caught up in pink ribbons; they stood beside their mother waiting for the guests to arrive.   
Long before the Dwarves showed up the girls had run off with the now small herd of fauntlings that had turned up. Mostly Took cousins with some Baggins as well as Bracegirdles, Chubbs and Proudfoots.   
Violet had finally taken a moment to breath as she watched her family and friends laugh and eat when she got the urge to turn around. It was a well honed and understood sense but in that moment she hated that she had it. She had thought for just a heartbeat that the Dwarves wouldn't come after what had happened the night before but she knew Bofur better than that. Of course her dearest friend would want to come to the party she organized even if he did not know why she had.   
"I don't want to alarm you but your dwarves are heading up the hill now" Prim whispered in her ear "Did you invite them or do I need to get Da and Drogo?"   
Violet could taste her pulse and there was a shudder as she drew in what was supposed to be a deep calming breath "No, no it's fine. I invited them."   
Primula's whisper rose to a squeak "_you invited them! What were you thinking?"   
_The weight of eyes on them made Violet pull Prim in for a hug so she could whisper back "_I couldn't tell him. I don't know if you missed it last night with all the crying but I couldn't do it!" _  
Her cousin hugged her tighter "_well he's coming with this lot so here's hoping. All you have to do is say the word and I'll find an umbrella."   
_A small chuckle eased some of the tightness from her chest as she released Prim and turned to greet the group.   
Bofur grinned broadly at her even though he looked a bit confused as he and the rest bowed in greeting.   
"I'm so happy you came!"   
Fili and Kili hugged her before slipping away somehow disappearing into the sea of hobbits; she had seen the bruises on Kili and silently cursed the Prince for running away, she would be checking him over later for sure.   
Dwalin was at the back of the group and her heart skipped a beat as their eyes met. She quirked an eyebrow as she took in the bruises on his face as well and more questions began to burn in her brain. What in Yavanna's name happened!  
"So what is the party for" Ori asked peering around "Your birthday isn't till fall, isn't it?"   
Bofur answered for her "Oh aye her birthday is before Durin's day!"   
"Then is this some sort of festival" Nori asked as he peered around as if there would be a sign or something.   
"No" she answered slowly "it's a birthday party."   
She could feel the bass of Bifur's voice in her bones as he rumbled what she was sure was another question as five pairs of eyes pinned her in place. Her fuzzy feet wanted to dash away over the hill and into Bag End to hunker down until everyone grew bored and went home. But she could hear her parents chiding her on being a good host and a proper Baggins.   
"Aye Bifur we'd like to know that too" Bofur nodded while twirling one end of his mustache "Who's party is it then, lass?"   
  
"My daughters."   
  
  
There was a dull roar in Dwalin's ear as he heard Violet's answer "my daughters."   
His heart began to race and ache, his stomach felt queer and he couldn't seem to get his breath. Violet had children, that meant she had moved on, that she had married and that he had helped her break her marriage vows the night before. Pain exploded in his chest and it felt like he was dangerously close to throwing up what little he had eaten for lunch.   
_How could she have done this? _  
_How could I have not known? _  
_I thought she loved me!   
  
_High pitched giggles, his name harshly whispered and a sharp elbow to the ribs brought him back to the group with a gasp. There on either side of their mother were two little hobbits. Both had hair a very familiar color, they had the same nose and lips as their Amad, one lass had eyes the same shade of green as Violet but the other... the other wee thing had the eye color that he only saw when he looked in the mirror.   
_They are much too small to be mine. _He shook his head to banish that thought.  
_She must have found a husband with such a rare eye color._  
_Cute little nuggets they are._   
The staring went on for a touch too long and a pain shot through his foot, a glance down showed that Nori had just stomped on his foot and was now giving him a very pointed look.   
"Hello" he smiled weakly bowing to the little fauntlings. Their Ma had an odd look in her eyes and he took it to be her judging his odd reaction.   
The others followed suit all bowing to the cute little ones but they all said their names while he had just about forgotten his own.   
Nothing could have prepared him for the darling little things bowing in return while happily announcing their own names.   
"Bellflower!"   
"Brenna!"   
"Baggins" they finished together before dissolving into giggles.   
The roaring was back and suddenly Violet was in front of him, her mouth moving but he could not hear her.   
"Nope" was all he said before everything went black.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_ _  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for being so patient!


	5. Blooms in the sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin processes his new information and finally has the long awaited chat with Violet. Perhaps he'll get to meet his daughters as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the lovely comments!  
My baby has finally decided that sleep isn't for the weak so I'm finally getting some writing time after everyone is asleep :)

Of all the outcomes any that knew Dwalin was the twins Adad none had been prepared for the warrior to faint dead away there under the party tree. The ones that had no clue about the faunts nor their parentage stood there for a hot second before doing one of two things: laughing their arses off or throwing questions about while looking from Dwalin's prone form to Violet's increasingly red faced one.   
Fili and Kili had materialized from the crowd prepared to defend Violet when the collective gasp had gone up. The princes were trying to keep in their sniggers but when Bofur burst out with "You have got to be feckin kidding me! You actually fu-bu- _canoodled_ with the big bastard? I owe Nori money, dammit."   
Gales of laughter roared from Violet, the Princes, Nori, Ori and Bifur while Bofur stood there looking put out and the faunts peered at the passed out form of Dwalin.   
Tears flowed as the tension left the group and once all the laughing was over Violet felt lighter than she had in years.   
Fili and Kili each claimed a twin while she crept close to where Dwalin lay; there was blood that she could see, a careful hand checked that he was still breathing and then slipped to the back of his head to check for damage. There was none so now all that was left was to decide if she should leave him to lie there in the middle of the party or try to figure out some way to move him somewhere.   
Bag End was the obvious answer of where since it was closer than almost every other home plus almost none of her neighbors were likely to welcome an unconscious dwarf into their homes.  
How to get him there would be the real trick.   
"I think it would be best if Master Dwalin did not come to in the middle of his daughters birthday party" a wise voice stated over the bustle of the party "daughters that I suspect he just learned of?"   
Sitting back on her heels Violet smiled at her old friend "Hello Gandalf."   
The Grey Wizard smiled down at his small friend before casting an eye over all that was gathered around the downed dwarf "I don't suppose some of you would be willing to shift him to somewhere quieter?"   
Nori, Bofur and Bifur hemmed and hawed but in the end agreed that letting Dwalin come to in all the commotion of the party was a terrible idea considering the shock he'd gotten. Hamfast and Drogo stepped forward to help as well and so the mini procession led the way with the five males carrying Dwalin and Violet with the twins leading the way.   
  
Bellflower and Brenna went back to their party with the promise to listen to Drogo and Primula till Violet returned. The cherry on top had been the Fili and Kili walked back with them as well so the faunts could show off the princes to all their cousins.   
Violet brewed some tea with willow bark in it since she had a headache brewing behind her eyes and she knew Dwalin would have to have one when he came to. Gandalf had checked the dwarf over after he had been deposited in the guest bedroom of Bag End and had informed Violet that he would be fine. Gandalf had offered to wait with her but she insisted he go enjoy the party and do the fireworks he had promised the twins for their birthday. The quiet there in her smial as twilight began to darken the sky was pleasant after all the commotion that a fauntling's party involved.   
A low groan made her ears twitch and she perked up to see if Dwalin was coming around or just complaining. Desire to go to the bedside warred within her with the thought that perhaps it wouldn't be safe for her to get that close until she was sure he wasn't completely pissed at her.   
  
  
There was a low throb at the back of his head and he felt a bit like he was floating, almost like he was back in one of those damn apple barrels Violet had forced them all into back in Mirkwood. But he didn't smell apples and when he concentrated there was thankfully no scent of apples either. There was a smell of tea, cake possibly and pipe smoke; it was an oddly comforting smell that he couldn't quite place why.  
There had been a few moments of semi-consciousness where he felt like he was being carried which wasn't possible. None had been able to carry him since he was a tween and so he had figured he was dreaming.   
"This bastard is too bloody large, Vi."   
"What has he been eating?"   
"How did he not crush you?"   
_"BOFUR!"   
_  
Now it felt like he was wrapped in a cloud and he was tempted to sink back into sleep but there was something that would not let him.   
The room was dark which was a blessing to his eyes but where there had been sky there were now wooden beams and a smooth ceiling, hard earth was replaced with what he now could tell was a down mattress and a soft quilt covered him to the chest. Trying to move his head made the muscles in his neck protest and he couldn't stop the groan it drew; he peered around and it didn't take him long to figure out he wasn't in his room at the Inn, that left Bag End since Hobbits weren't welcoming of strangers and even less of him.   
"How do you feel" a soft voice asked him from a corner he had been sure was empty but when he looked again there was Violet. She looked nervous but resigned and for a moment he wasn't sure why then like steel striking flint it hit him.   
Pair of matching black haired little hobbits, one with green eyes and the other with eyes like silver.  
One with a flowery hobbit name and the other with his Amad's, a dwarrowdam name that was only heard once every hundred years if that.  
A pair of little lasses that were clearly of age to have been conceived during the Quest.   
They were his daughters.   
And Violet had never bothered to tell him about them.   
Anger burned away anything else he could have been feeling, anger at not being told that he was a Adad sooner, anger at missing so much of their lives and anger at Violet's betrayal.   
"Honestly I feel a bit like Smaug has lit my ass on fire."   
There was a subtle twitch of pointed ears hidden in her curls and a slight quirk to her eyebrow as she puzzled at his statement. When it became obvious that she wasn't sure what he meant he snapped.   
"I'm pissed off" he shouted at her standing from the bed quickly. Everything swayed for a moment but his anger cleared it like the sun clears the fog of morning.   
Violet stood stock still staring at him as if he'd grown another head and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. That look just added fuel to the fire and he clenched his fists in front of him as he struggled to contain it.   
"How could you have not told me that we have children" he shouted rounding the foot of the bed "Why did you not tell me of my _nathiths?"  
_An odd look skipped across Violet's face but just as soon as he saw it, it was gone and she remained silent.   
"What were you thinking? Are you just that selfish that you decided to keep them for yourself?"   
There it was, a reaction, an emotion growing on Violet's face and he felt an odd satisfaction at cracking her mask.   
_Why isn't she saying anything? _  
_Am I right? She didn't tell me about them because she's selfish. _  
_I am right_.  
The self righteousness fanned the flames of his anger and he roared at her "THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS! YOU WERE KEEPING THEM FOR YOUR SELF, YOU SELFISH LITTLE THIEF!"   
It took the blink of an eye for him to register that something was shattering behind him only for him to look down to find Violet's finger almost touching his nose.   
  
  
Violet had tried to wait out Dwalin's anger, she understood it in a sense. Dwarves were very family oriented, the Company had made her quite aware of that on the Quest with how much like an outsider she had felt when they separated into their family units leaving her with Gandalf when the wizard was actually there. Once they had relaxed some they were more than happy to tell her how much family meant to them especially children. Dwarrow birth rates were incredibly low in general but the birth of females even more so.   
Here she was with a pair of half dwarf twins and their Da's family had clue about them.   
So she let him yell at her and waited for him to blow off the steam, hoped that once he was done they could have civil conversation about their faunts. Instead Dwalin's anger seemed to grow and she had tried to weather it right until he had called her a "SELFISH THIEF!"   
She hadn't even been aware she was cutting down at him until the teacup was already out of her hand and then she was crossing the room. Later she would offer a tiny prayer of thanks that she hadn't actually hit Dwalin AND that it was not one of her Mother's West Farthing teacups she had thrown but one she had received from a cousin's birthday party.   
"What did you just call me" she demanded "Did you honestly just call me selfish?"   
"YOU HAVE KEPT MY CHILDREN A SECRET!"   
"When was I supposed to tell you? Before the Battle when you were so addled with gold sickness you were willing to starve to death instead of giving Bard his due? Or Perhaps when Thorin was threatening to drop me to my death for trying to save your hairy asses? OR" she began to jab him in the chest as her own anger blossomed in her chest "Should I have said something when I was being banished from Erebor without any idea if you had even survived, you giant Fuck!"   
Dwalin looked like a fish without water as she screamed.   
"DID YOU FORGET I HAD NO IDEA YOU HAD EVEN SURVIVED TILL LAST YEAR? HOW THE FUCK WAS I SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU THAT OUR DAUGHTERS EXISTED WHEN I THOUGHT YOU HAD DIED IN BATTLE?"   
Tears had begun to flow down her cheeks and she did nothing to stop them as she bled off years of rage "YOU never wrote to tell me you survived, never tried to contact me, I bet you never even asked Dis about me. None of you did! Dis had to tell me that you had survived, that you were in Erebor still breathing and helping Thorin."   
Dwalin took a step back with a weak "But..."   
"But nothing! Yavanna I cannot believe your gall!"   
He sat down on the foot of the bed putting himself at eye level with her and she found herself wanting to punch him.   
"What about my brother?" he asked lamely.   
She clenched her fists by her hip "Your brother can sod off! He was one of the ones that ignored me for weeks and then banished me! I was banished under the threat of death, Dwalin! Why in Yavanna's Green Garden's would I risk sending a blessed letter?"   
"We still deserved to know" he insisted straightening his spine so that he was just slightly taller than her.   
Her ire mounted "You _deserved_ to know! I'll tell you what you deserve!"   
  
"You really are thick."   
Dwalin shook the stars from his eyes to find that Violet had been replaced by Tauriel and Kili. Both archers were looking at him with expressions that were bemused but concerned; Kili was on the bemused end of things while the elf was harder to read. A quick scan of the room proved that Violet had left completely after punching him in the face. It hurt to squeeze his eyes shut but he did it anyways.  
Today was not going at all how he had hoped or wanted but...   
He had a daughter.   
Daughters.  
Twins.   
That were 5 years old which meant they were conceived at Beorns, growing all while their Amad did dangerous things like fight massive spiders, snuck through a damp, chilly dungeon and rode a barrel down a rushing river all to save his 'hairy arse.'   
Violet had riddled with a dragon while his children grew beneath her heart, had fought to talk sense into a bunch of gold sick dwarves that thought starvation was a better idea than handing over a small fraction of their wealth to someone they had promised it to while dealing with the knowledge that she was pregnant and he was too far gone to be told.   
The Arkenstone Incident on the Wall.  
The Battle of Five Armies.   
Violet's shunning and then Banishment.   
She had been pregnant during all of it and he really was the biggest arsehole in all of Arda.   
"Looks like our Burglar can throw a mean right hook" Kili observed with a gesture towards Dwalin's face while Tauriel rolled her eyes.   
A hand to his cheek found a new spot that was throbbing in time with his heart and he honestly felt like he deserved more than that.   
"Aye so she does" he agreed instead running his other hand over his tattooed scalp.  
"What did you even say to make her hit you" Kili asked picking at his nails with one of his daggers.  
"Hobbits are such gentle creatures by nature" Tauriel stated from where she leaned against the wall. Dwalin knew it was a show, the elleth was aware of everything going on in and around this place.  
"I might have insulted her" he answered vaguely, rising slowly.   
Tauriel snorted while Kili looked unamused "No shit."   
"Let's just say I have not handled the news that I am an Adad very well."   
The room felt very small with them all standing and Dwalin decided it was time to go back outside.   
"Are you just going to make it a habit to answer every question with stating the fucking obvious?"   
"I think it's safe to say that he has cocked it up fantastically" Tauriel offered as they shadowed him.   
  
  
Violet had been enraged, angry even and all the hurt from years past was suddenly welling up within her as she yelled at Dwalin.   
Now? Well now her hand ached, her heart hurt and all she wanted was a pint of The Gaffer's home-brew to take the edge off. But The Gaffer only brought that out near the end of the party and the sun was just barely kissing the horizon.   
It seemed only a few of her cousins had noticed her absence and none had questions for her about it instead they were enthralled or in the least intrigued by the Dwarves that were still amongst them.   
Bofur and Bifur were surrounded by faunts including her own as they displayed toys that they were pulling from hidden pockets and a pack that she hadn't noticed. It seemed very quickly all the little ones had a toy of some sort that the pair had made and squealing with delight as they ran about. Parents were stepping forward trying to pay for the toys but the dwarves held up their hands insisting they were gifts.  
"Momma! Momma look was Master Bofur gave us for our birthday" her daughters giggled, dancing in place as they showed her the jointed dragon in Brenna's hands and a small warrior that look suspiciously like a herself in Bellflower's.   
"Oh my, those are lovely! Did you make sure to tell Masters Bofur and Bifur 'Thank you'?"   
The pair nodded their heads so quickly their inky curls bounced and a questioning eye at the cousins had Bofur nodding as well that they had used their manners.   
"Can we go play?"   
"Of course" she laughed waving them off in the direction of all the Took cousins as she headed over to Bofur "have fun!"   
Thank Yavanna the shrieks of fauntlings laughing quieted as they raced around the party tree to play with the new toys. Violet sank down beside Bofur with a groan and a small smile at Bifur who waved back.   
"That was very kind of you to give them all a toy. How much do I owe you?"   
"Violet Baggins we were not kidding when we said they were gifts" Bofur chided her with a soft scowl.   
"But didn't that take most of your stock?"   
Bifur began to roar with laughter and even Bofur sniggered a little before sobering "Not even a little. Bif has been quite prolific in his carving and we have an entire shop full back in Erebor. These were just what we have made while on the trip here!"   
The thought of the sheer volume of toys they must have had made left her wide eyed and murmuring "Oh my."   
They sat in silence for a moment before Bifur started talking as he rummaged through his pack, he would gesture towards her from time to time as he pulled out what looked like bandages, and a pain of small jars.   
Bofur answered his cousin in the rumbling language also gesturing towards Violet and she found herself crossing her arms over her chest in irritation.   
"It's very rude to talk about me like I'm not here."   
Bofur had the decency to blush while Bifur shook a finger as him.   
"Sorry lass, Bifur here would like to know what ya did to your hand" he nodded down to the one that throbbed like a second heart.  
Her ears twitched where they poked from her curls and she felt her cheeks warm as she actually looked at the abused digits in the sunlight. Her knuckles were turning lovely shades of red and purple extending down onto the fingers that had met Dwalin's cheek. Stiffness had settled in right at home and she found that it was quite difficult to move her fingers at all.   
"I-" she cleared her throat "I might have lost my temper."   
Bifur snorted as Bofur took a hold of her hand only pressing on the palm as he studied it carefully "Please tell me you didn't punch a wall. That's such a waste of a good go."   
A dry chuckle escaped her "no I punched Dwalin... in the face."   
Bifur said something behind them a new piece of wood in his hands already, blade pulling a shape from it.  
"Do I want to know what he said?" she asked, trying to ignore the stab of pain as Bofur slowly rubbed the ointment over the bruised hand.   
He winked at her "Oh just something about how he was sure Dwalin deserved it."   
Silence stretched between them thick like honey and Violet felt the pull to acknowledge the Oliphant beside them, to explain all that had happened and perhaps apologize. The words were there, the things she wanted to say to Bofur at the tip of her tongue but after how Dwalin had reacted she was a bit hesitant to even whisper anything. So for the time being she watched as Bofur cared for her injured hand before her gaze strayed to take in the party. Faunts raced all over some brandishing the toys from Bifur while others had their gifts from the twins in their clutches, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins were scattered about eating, laughing and enjoying themselves. She could spot Ori off to the side with his journal out a faunt peeking over each shoulder as he scribbled in it, Nori was amongst a group of her Took relatives laughing loudly while they drank like fish from the ale barrel beside them. Peering around she found Fili surrounded by little lasses with flowers woven into his braids and the little beings giggling as they showed him how to make flower crowns; Kili was nowhere to be seen and well she knew where Dwalin was or at least where she left him. Squeals of laughter perked her ears up and she spotted Kili a ways away with Bellflower on his shoulders while Tauriel beside him had Brenna in her arms. Both were sporting daisy crowns and laughing along with her little ones and she found herself smiling in response to her children's happiness.   
"They are lovely little pebbles."   
The familiar burn of a blush was back at the tips of her ears and she pushed a stray curl off her forehead as she met Bofur's kind eyes.   
"I- well I'm- It's just-" frustration made her whole face hot and she could feel sweat bead on her forehead "honestly I... well thank you."   
A warm glow covered her free hand and Violet jumped to before realizing Bifur was patting it while his deep voice comforted her despite having no idea what he was saying to her.   
"Bif says it's alright, calm down. We understand and we truly do" Bofur's mustache rose with his smile "no lie at first I wondered why ya didn't write and I know we should have wrote to ya instead. I failed you lass but perhaps you wouldn't have responded since you had your hands full!"   
A tightness that she had realized was so intense eased in her breast and she pulled Bofur forward to bump foreheads while speaking her thanks to the pair.   
  
  
Soon enough the sun was set and the torches were lit around the Party Tree along with a great fire off to the side for a bit of warmth. Mulled wine, and hot cider was set out and Violet almost kissed the Old Gaffer when he handed her a mug of his home-brew with a wink. It was a heady fruity brew that soothed away the stress of the day, and eased her frazzled nerves.   
  
  
Dwalin hadn't been sure what he should do as he processed the whole thing and tried to ignore the ache in his eye. Tauriel had made him a cup of tea, never making a sound or uttering one word while she moved about Violet's kitchen with practiced ease. Kili on the other hand never seemed to hush as he bounced around between rooms and then down into the cellar. Dwalin was not even sure what the Prince was doing until he was hit in the face with something damp and cold.   
"Here, Irak’Adad claims this helps with swelling."   
He grunted his thanks as he pressed the slab of beef against the bruise; it throbbed something fierce and as much as he knew he deserved it he had to admit that the fact she punched him in the face was both infuriating and a turn on.   
There was a soft sound and he found a very fragrant cup of tea being set in front of him before Tauriel slipped from the room.   
Time slipped by as he sipped at the tea letting it smooth his ruffled feathers, held the raw meat to his eye letting whatever it was ease the pain there as well and thought.   
No matter which way he spun it things seemed hopeless; he could not see how to make things right with Violet. He had handled everything so poorly. The only way he could have made it worse he imagined would be to actually question if the little ones were his but he knew the truth there. Both had hair like his Amad and perhaps him to an extent well at least the color, and there was no denying Brenna's eyes. Eyes that shade were unusual no matter where you went in the world but among the Dwarrow only one branch of the dwarrows had it. Durin's line and even then it only occurred every other generation or so.   
However he had still tried to blame her for everything, insinuated that she was selfish even called her as much when he knew he was in the wrong.   
Had he thought to ask anything about his daughters? No.   
Ask if things were hard for Violet? Also No.   
  
"So are we going to join the party and meet your daughters or do you want to just sit here?" Kili asked, looked like he was almost vibrating in his seat. The room was considerably darker and his tea was now tepid, clearly a good amount of time had slipped by.   
"I suppose we should, mizimith" he nodded as he stood and gathered his dishes.   
"I am not that young" Kili snorted.  
Dwalin stretched until his spine popped, groaning "yes you are."  
The air was pleasantly cool as they stepped out into the evening still arguing.   
"You're both children compared to me" dulcet tones stated above them.   
"Mahal's ball don't do that!" Kili scolded as he slipped his dagger back into it's sheath.   
There was a ghost of a smile on the elf's lips and Dwalin realized that she had a bit of a sense of humor under her somber exterior.   
"But it's true" she glided beside them towards the party.   
  
Dwalin strained to see where Violet was, he owed her much and should start with an apology. There were so many hobbits milling about, laughing, eating and dancing it was hard to spot her in the sea. So preoccupied was he looking for Violet he did not even notice the little one running in front of him until she literally tripped over his booted foot. The soft cry of surprise turned to one of pain as she landed sprawled in front of him.   
Without another thought he gently picked her up to survey the damage.  
"Here now don't cry. Let's see what happened shall we?"   
The little dark head nodded despite the obvious sound of tears as he made his way to an open seat.   
Kili and Tauriel were forgotten as he helped take stock of scuffed palms, a scraped knee that was slowly weeping some tiny droplets of blood and the other would just be sporting a lovely bruise in the following days. A convenient cup of water was near his spot and he slowly cleaned the bits of grass and dirt away from the wounds while speaking softly with the little one.   
His heart skipped a beat when watery silver eyes met his when he lifted her chin to wipe away her tears.   
"Mama says it's rude to stare" the lass stated with little brows dipping down in a scowl.   
Face heating he cleared his throat "I'm sorry I didn't mean to stare... we haven't been introduced have we?"   
She began sporting a matching blush as she shook her head with curls bouncing "Nooo. I'm Brenna, Brenna Baggins."   
Hoping to calm his racing heart he ran a hand over his face before rubbing it over his tattooed scalp.   
"You're suppose to tell me yours now" she giggled.   
A true smile curled his lips as he acknowledged "Very right you are, Brenna. My name is Dwalin, Son of-"   
Grey eyes grew huge as Brenna gasped "Son of Fundin?"   
Now it was his turn to scowl "Yes but how do you know my name?"   
Brenna twisted a curl around her finger in a action that was so reminiscent of her mother it made his stomach flip "Momma told us."   
Everything seemed to freeze for a breath as he took in her answer, eyebrows raised in shock as he realized what it all meant.   
"Your Amad told you about me?"   
Brenna nodded as she ran a hand through his beard "She told us about all the Dwarves that she helped. How you needed her help to get your home back..."   
The joy he'd felt began to slip away and he almost missed Brenna saying "how kind you were and how you were our Da. That you died in the Battle of Five Armies before we were born."   
Serious grey eyes met his again "IF you died in Battle how are you here?"   
The party seemed to fade around them as he softly told her "There was a mix up and your Mama had to leave before I could tell her that I lived. I have regretted it every day since then that I did not get to speak to her before she left. I should have done so many things differently."   
Pain started in his chest as he spoke to his daughter "I'm sorry, ghivashith. I've missed so much and it's my own fault."   
  
The buzz Violet had been enjoying from the home-brew and some Longbottom leaf had been lovely but when Bellflower had burst through the crowd telling her that Brenna was hurt it disappeared in a flash. When Bellflower had told her a tattooed dwarf was helping her sister Violet's brain had failed her and she rushed through the party close on Bellflower's heels.   
Gandalf had appeared beside her at some point and it felt like he was guiding her which was odd but she accepted the help.   
The sight of Dwalin speaking with Brenna on his lap had her starting forward but a hand on her shoulder stalled her. Gandalf's blue eyes crinkled at the edges and nod of his head had her actually listening to the pair.   
She watched as surprise showed on Dwalin's face and then how it fell.   
_Brenna's soft voice drifted to her "how kind you were and how you were our Da. That you died in the Battle of Five Armies before we were born."  
_There was pain on Dwalin's face that made her heart hurt as he answered Brenna's question.   
_"There was a mix up and your Mama had to leave before I could tell her that I lived. I have regretted it every day since then that I did not get to speak to her before she left. I should have done so many things differently."   
_There was a catch in his voice and she could see how he drank in his daughter's features.  
_"I'm sorry, ghivashith. I've missed so much and it's my own fault."   
_"Mama is he really our Da?" Bellflower asked peering up at her with so much hope in her green eyes they glowed.   
An indescribable emotion stole her voice so she just nodded.   
With a shriek of joy Bellflower launched herself from her Mama's side and raced to the pair.   
It all became a jumble of laughter, squeals and a few tears from all gathered as Dwalin gathered the other little one onto his lap where she and her sister peppered him with kisses.   
Once the kisses stopped and they began to snuggle into him while chattering happily his silver eyes found hers; she would never admit the rush of heat she felt nor the way her heart stuttered as he whispered '_thank you_' with a single tear slipping into his whiskers before he went back to hugging the twins.   
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found the translation for daughters on Wattpad so I apologize if it is incorrect.  
Baurch means daughters. Dwarvish family titles on Wattpad.
> 
> ghivashith~ treasure that is young


End file.
